blorg t1_je86tav wrote on March 30, 2023 at 2:46 AM

Reply to comment by viazcanm in Best closed back headphones in your opinion? by iMagZz

It's boomy in the bass and has a huge 3kHz spike. I got it acceptable with EQ but never loved it; for a TOTL headphone, the sound is not great. It does have great soundstage for a closed back and is very comfortable.

The bass after EQ is good... but it's not as good as open backs like the LCD-X, HE6SEV2, even the Hifiman Arya or Edition XS. While Focal (Clear, Utopia) are punchier, the bass on the Z1R is distinctly pillowy and undefined.

It sort of decided for me that I don't need closed back headphones, I use IEMs if I need the isolation. I actually swapped it for a Shure KSE1500 which also needs EQ, but is so much better. I have the IER-Z1R as well, it's much better.

entivoo t1_je8un6z wrote on March 30, 2023 at 7:00 AM

Some people prefer that more pillowy bass including me. The clean analytical bass from the likes of LCD-X is great but not as fun as the pillowy non analytical ones for some people.

blorg t1_je8xljc wrote on March 30, 2023 at 7:42 AM

It's the sort of headphone, that if it was priced $100-300, I could see it- although there are even better tuned headphones at that price. At $2,000...

entivoo t1_je9c457 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:04 AM

I think it is kind of a preference, I heard because of this bass quality of the MDR-Z1R replicates orchestra hall pretty well. It just sounds more natural according to everyone that enjoys their Z1R. Sometimes being too "clean" makes it less natural. I have the ADX5000 and it kills all echoes and sound clean af. It doesn't sound natural but I kinda like it. I am aiming to get the Z1R next.

mindxplorer t1_jeb3359 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 6:47 PM

The Mdr-Z1R is “easy” to drive. It sounds fine out an iPhone dongle. But with this kind of source the bass can really be a little boomy and slow (despite being super fun like this). Put it after the Mojo 2 or, even better, a Burson amp and will get ver fast, precise and punchy bass (although not as punchy as with the HE6se or a Focal Clear). The bass is much better than the Edition XS, which I’ve had and have great regard for.

I liked it better then the non-EQef LCDX 2021. It’s not an easy headphone, doesn’t wow you at first listen, but it’s the favorite in the many “endgame hp’s” I’ve tried.

blorg t1_jecvc9g wrote on March 31, 2023 at 2:11 AM

I was driving it off a Topping A90. It wasn't lack of power.