šŸ”¶ Sony IER-Z1R

It just might beā€¦

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Does anyone have link to purchasing additional Sony stock tips?

I did try but it might come down to where aboutā€™s country wise you areā€¦I did have a live chat with Sony UK in regards getting some of the hybrid silicone tips they sent me a link and I thanked them, when I finally got around to opening it it was for the Triple-comforts :grimacing: I havenā€™t bothered again as tips last years unless you lose one and tbh I like the Sony EP-EX10Aā€™s as much and theyā€™re some what easier to come by. If you still want the ogā€™s then Iā€™d contact Sony directly :+1:

The sound of these is pretty incredible, but Iā€™m still working through some fitment issues. I noticed that with the stock tips and, frankly, the many dozen of different manufacturerā€™s tips that I own, NO part of the shell rests on the concha of my ear. So - other than weight carried by the over-the-ear wire - the entire weight of the IEM is on the nozzle - it just hangs off my ear. Over time I have to keep adjusting the tips in my ear because they either come out (slightly) or work their way further (and uncomfortably) into my ear. And each my ears is slightly different, so it just feels weird that they are seated differently in each ear.

Iā€™m trying the SendaEarfit Crystal tips that I use with my Galaxy Bud + TWSā€™s. That seems to have done the trick. They are extremely low-height tips. And very comfortable and donā€™t move around.

Does anyone else have this issue with these IEMs ? and, if so, any other solutions or suggestions?

I also wonder if anyone else has noticed that, while the diameter of the hybrid silicon tips seem to increase uniformly from SS to LL, the height of the tips does not uniformly increase. The L is a lower, flatter tip than the LL and ML which flank it - they are more bullet shaped.

These are turning out to be incredible IEMs. I can understand why BGGR says, ā€œAnd then just walk away.ā€

I know that some reviewers say they have recessed midā€™s, and maybe itā€™s a honeymoon phase, but I donā€™t hear that. The bass and treble are so clear and controlled, and the ā€œsoundstageā€ is so wide, that I believe thatā€™s what contributes to the impression of recessed midā€™s. On several acoustical test tracks that I use to test for midā€™s, what I hear is a great deal of separation among instruments. More so than on the Senn HD800 (which I owned for 9 years and are noted for great acoustical rendering).

I have a Bach Concerto for 3 violins that Iā€™ve listened to for over decade, and this is the first time Iā€™ve heard such clear separation between the violins - and the (truly recessed) supporting string instruments.

I have a recording by the Portland group from the 1980s, Nightnoise, that has a harmonium, whistle, violin and two acoustical guitars. The ability to hear each note of the harmonium is truly impressive. And itā€™s bass is so clear and moving.

EDM, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Western, Male and Female vocals - these things just laugh at them all.

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@F700 you got yours yet? What do ya reckon?

No, they are still flying over the ocean from HK to Switzerland. I should get them in approx. 10 days. My Lotoo LP6K and C9 are warming up :fire:

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Where did you buy them? Accessory Jack?

Yes, they said 14-19 working days to Europe.

Yes, they have a pretty good price. I have seen people trying to sell them used more expensive than new on that shop.
I assume there will be some tariffsā€¦

Got mine through Amazon UK for Ā£1,678 IIRC spread over 5 monthly interest free payments :gem::+1:

Edited found my old Amazon invoiceā€¦ paid Ā£1,614.52 and probably the best money Iā€™ve spent on this hobby :+1:

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And you are a happy man with them, haha.

I think that I have already asked it, but whatā€™s your source? do you use a DAP, a dongle? a desktop dac/amp?

I forgot to post my impressions here, after I finally received the IER-Z1R.

One month with them and all I can say is that they are the best IEMs I listened to so far. By a comfortable margin. And the Z1R are growing on me at every listen. Mest MK2, Legend X, Nio, Solaris, Andromeda, Oriveti OV800, IE900, Timeless, they all are in another, lower league. The only IEMs I tried and that are comparable in terms of excellence are the EE Odin (2.5x the price of the Z1R, though, with a worse fit). Now, I havenā€™t tested the other big boys in town, namely Traillii, Jewel, XE6, EXT, Phƶnix, Elysian X, etcā€¦ From what I read on HF, the only set that make me curious now are the Aroma Jewel. I donā€™t think I am missing much compared to the aforementioned actual TOTL offering, whose entry tickets have reached unparalleled heights. Finally, I should have the Traillii on loan next week, it will be interesting to compare two different worlds. Anyway, back to the Sonys.

Fortunately, I immediately got a perfect and deep fit. Itā€™s like they were designed for my concha and ear canal. They suit me like a CIEM. With this in mind, I can understand people why did sell them quickly after purchase, if the fit wasnā€™t good enough. Indeed, itā€™s not only a matter of comfort as it seems. The sound experience is not the same, mids being thin and the soundstage diffused, a bit all over the place.

Provided you get a firm and secured fit, letā€™s question the source. My main portable rig is a Lotoo P6K connected via 4.4 LO to a Cayin C9. Not starting a debate around power and ability to drive the Z1R, but a potent DAP or a DAP/Amp combo will make the Sonys shine.

The way I experience the Z1R is the following: a clear, cavernous, hard-hitting bass with fantastic layering and precision. Mids are not thin at all, but itā€™s probably due to the very good fit I get with them. YMMV. The mids also are clear and detailed, slightly recessed, with just the amount of presence I like. I welcome the fact that they are not too forward, it would have killed the magic. Some owners reported a disagreeable peak in the upper-mids region at 6KHz as shown on the FR-graph available on the www, but nothing as such on my side. The treble is smooth, extended, airy and plays an important role in how large yet realistic the soundstage is.

All in all, and no matter what will come out in the coming months or years, the IER-Z1R are one of a kind. Like them or hate them for any reason that apply to you, but it cannot be denied that they belong to the IEMs wall of fame.

The IER-Z1R with some of my favorite IEMs at the moment:

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Yep same for me

Same for me again after swopping the xl tips for large.

Yep I find they need :zap::muscle:

I love that Sony still stands by this amazing flagship set unlike the Chifi fraternity that have a MKII out before most folks get their hands on the MKIā€¦
It really makes it hard to get excited or hyped about any other sets what ever their :moneybag: range tbhā€¦However I do like my Timeless which also gets used a great deal :+1:

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Agree with you regarding the Chifiā€™s high pace of releases. The Timeless are really fantastic, they still get a lot of head-time.

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@Ohmboy : what kind of music are you listen too? Might I also ask about your sources?

Source iBasso DX312ā€¦as for music? Loads of genresā€¦Rock, EDM, 60-70ā€™s stuff like the Stones, Beatles, Zep, Floyd, CSN&Y, Joni, Neil Young etc, Reggae, Dub, Electronica, Folk, Punk, lots of female vocal based music and some Classicalā€¦pretty much anything apart from opera lol.

Also constancy as well, since Iā€™ve seen a fair amount of chifi sets come out with all sorts of versions that can sound wildly different, instead of sticking to what they do well and further refining it. Makes it a gamble to upgrade to the latest model from some of these brands as it could be a big departure from what you already had and liked lol

True they release a well tuned set and instantly decide to let their tuners continue throwing pasta at the wall instead of just tweaking the seasoning lol.

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As Iā€™ve said on the Timeless thread I call them a baby Z1Rā€¦no they donā€™t have the same technicalities but if someone wants the ultimate Timeless upgrade then thatā€™ll be the Z1R pretty muchā€¦

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