[ThELiZ]

Hopefully I'll receive my Z1R soon enough (ordered through Amazon on the 5th). While I'm waiting I'm quite happy listening to my modded HD650 and La Figaro 332S OTL amp. I love the sound of this combo, but at times the mid bass can be too muffled/loose. Also at times I'd like some more clarity. If I've read correctly, it seems like the Z1R has those nice warm mids that like so much, but whilst still having clarity and not having bass bleed into the mids. Am I right in thinking this?

Can't wait to try these out!

 

[Sonic Defender]

Hopefully I'll receive my Z1R soon enough (ordered through Amazon on the 5th). While I'm waiting I'm quite happy listening to my modded HD650 and La Figaro 332S OTL amp. I love the sound of this combo, but at times the mid bass can be too muffled/loose. Also at times I'd like some more clarity. If I've read correctly, it seems like the Z1R has those nice warm mids that like so much, but whilst still having clarity and not having bass bleed into the mids. Am I right in thinking this?

Can't wait to try these out!

For the most part that seems quite accurate. While I haven't experienced it myself, thatnoob did report he found some modest bass bleed into the mids in isolated instances. I have found the bass to be very good and well controlled while still reaching an overall satisfying level. The bass extension is excellent, I am hearing quite a bit more sub bass than before, but it sounds correct as opposed to inserted for the sake of being emphasized if that makes any sense.
 
Detailing is excellent, depending on what you mean by, or how you perceive clarity, it is also very good, but there is a slight treble roll-off region that as I'm sure you have read does take a little bite out. Sometimes that will be good, sometimes you may want the bite in the sound, not sure. As I said a few posts back, overall the tonal balance is superb, but like any headphone design, it can't be perfect for everybody, and there will always be design compromises/decisions made. I suspect to achieve the resonance dampening the designers wanted, this treble edge was shaved a little, but to very good effect so not sure what that means for you. You will know soon yourself I hope.

 

[Khragon]

Look like I missed the Amazon UK deal, it said no shipment to the US now. Wonder who is the tattle tale?

Now I got to wait for price to drop here in the US, good thing look like it already does, 2000 now on US Amazon.

 

[pietcux]

I don't know about the rest of the world, but in the UK the spares are sold by [COLOR=222222]EET Europarts Ltd, and from what I can remember the Sony CS rep telling me, each spare earpad is £318 plus VAT, so roughly £382 per bloody earpad. That's around $470, or[/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]€[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]440, and that's based on a super weak pound. It's so preposterously priced I can hardly believe it.[/COLOR]

In 5 years from now Massdrop will bring a deal on the pads.

 

[echineko]

I don't know about the rest of the world, but in the UK the spares are sold by [COLOR=222222]EET Europarts Ltd, and from what I can remember the Sony CS rep telling me, each spare earpad is £318 plus VAT, so roughly £382 per bloody earpad. That's around $470, or[/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]€[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]440, and that's based on a super weak pound. It's so preposterously priced I can hardly believe it.[/COLOR]

That's pretty crazy. In Japan it comes to only about $73 or so, each. I got my spare ear pads for the SA5000 from these guys too:

www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000113900/

Seems to be out of stock, probably since lots of others had the same reaction as you, and decided to get it from Japan instead

Edit: they have separate R and L earpads, don't get two of the same, eh?

 

[ThELiZ]

  For the most part that seems quite accurate. While I haven't experienced it myself, thatnoob did report he found some modest bass bleed into the mids in isolated instances. I have found the bass to be very good and well controlled while still reaching an overall satisfying level. The bass extension is excellent, I am hearing quite a bit more sub bass than before, but it sounds correct as opposed to inserted for the sake of being emphasized if that makes any sense.
 
Detailing is excellent, depending on what you mean by, or how you perceive clarity, it is also very good, but there is a slight treble roll-off region that as I'm sure you have read does take a little bite out. Sometimes that will be good, sometimes you may want the bite in the sound, not sure. As I said a few posts back, overall the tonal balance is superb, but like any headphone design, it can't be perfect for everybody, and there will always be design compromises/decisions made. I suspect to achieve the resonance dampening the designers wanted, this treble edge was shaved a little, but to very good effect so not sure what that means for you. You will know soon yourself I hope.

To be honest, I don't mind a little mid bass bump, but the HD650 can sound a bit too thick at times. Thanks.

 

[Audio Addict]

As well, those prices are likely full on, lots of margin retail so if you purchased from an authorized dealer they may be willing to give you a break on the price; especially if they are ordering them as opposed to having to stock them which means they don't have to pay to keep the stock on hand. I'm speculating there, but you never know and if so I guess that is another good reason to build a relationship with a local distributor. Let's hope anyway. 

Your relationship with your dealer will be key. I bought my Elears and now Utopia from The Source AV and if I go down the Sony route, I am sure they would be from them as well so hopefully they would do their best if needed to replace any earpads.

 

[Jozurr]

That price for the pads just seems like one dealer quoting whatever they want to. Surely that can't be normal pricing when they're $73 in Japan. Prices should come down eventually here, or alternate purchase methods will come around. Everyone should worry about that when they have to cross that bridge. I'm not saying don't keep an eye out for any good deals on pads but to secure them right away in the fear of them getting damaged over 5-10 years seems a bit much.

 

[TSAVJason]

That price for the pads just seems like one dealer quoting whatever they want to. Surely that can't be normal pricing when they're $73 in Japan. Prices should come down eventually here, or alternate purchase methods will come around. Everyone should worry about that when they have to cross that bridge. I'm not saying don't keep an eye out for any good deals on pads but to secure them right away in the fear of them getting damaged over 5-10 years seems a bit much.

I agree the pads shouldn't cost so much but it's impossible for a Focal Utopia or Elear pad to be $73 and be an actual Focal product.

 

[Jozurr]

I agree the pads shouldn't cost so much but it's impossible for a Focal Utopia or Elear pad to be $73 and be an actual Focal product.

 
I was talking about the Sony earpads (each) as linked above.

 

[Naim.F.C]

That's pretty crazy. In Japan it comes to only about $73 or so, each. I got my spare ear pads for the SA5000 from these guys too:

www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000113900/

Seems to be out of stock, probably since lots of others had the same reaction as you, and decided to get it from Japan instead

Edit: they have separate R and L earpads, don't get two of the same, eh?

Damn! Wish I knew earlier

 

[E3E]

I mean, I've had my Sony SA5000s for a long time, and the actual leather parts of the pads are still as good as new, and it's been over 10 years now (and believe me, I did not always treat those things with care). The pads I've sewn for my CD3000s don't look any worse than they did when I first stitched them, and I'd bet that plenty Sony MDR-R10s are going strong after 20+ years.

It's a bit of an overstated concern, I'd say. The pleather aspect of the ear pads is somewhat worrisome, but at least it's not as huge of an area as the SA5000s. Just treat it with care. I plan on using some vinyl protectant on them ASAP.

Leather is a very resilient material. You don't have too much to worry about with the pads, I'd say. At first, I was handling the Z1Rs like a baby, afraid to even put them on the bead-blasted SA5000 headphone stand for fear it's scuff the pads, but leather can take more abuse than that. 

It's good to be confident about what you own, haha.

 

[echineko]

Damn! Wish I knew earlier

Ouch :/ I only decided to look it up after seeing your post, apparently it was too late?

It's a bit of an overstated concern, I'd say. The pleather aspect of the ear pads is somewhat worrisome, but at least it's not as huge of an area as the SA5000s. Just treat it with care. I plan on using some vinyl protectant on them ASAP.

At this point, has the material in the Z1R earpad been confirmed to be pleather? From what Whitigir said earlier, it seems like it's just different types of leather? Might be just concern over nothing, in that case.

 

[E3E]

Ouch :/ I only decided to look it up after seeing your post, apparently it was too late?
At this point, has the material in the Z1R earpad been confirmed to be pleather? From what @Whitigir said earlier, it seems like it's just different types of leather? Might be just concern over nothing, in that case.

Just from what I've seen when we're talking about the artificial leather Sony has used in the past, subjectively, it looks a lot like that. The way it flexes on the backing material and under pressure. 

I really get the feeling that it isn't leather, but I would be very happy if it actually was. It also did not absorb the leather conditioner I was putting on the pads. 

 

[Zirconn]

Ouch :/ I only decided to look it up after seeing your post, apparently it was too late?
At this point, has the material in the Z1R earpad been confirmed to be pleather? From what @Whitigir said earlier, it seems like it's just different types of leather? Might be just concern over nothing, in that case.

 
I just checked mine and I'm 100% it's not leather. I have two other Sony headphones with pleather earspads and this looks different, like some kind of vinyl. I'd say they are using it for acoustic reasons.