Product Reviews

This is an outstanding product with one caveat. The connectors are in a bad place; somewhat obtrusive. Moving them forward would make the cans perfect.

Pairing Z1R with WM Z1RM2 is a fantastic combination. The sound quality is superb.

In my opinion, the best headphones at this price. fantastic build quality and the best sound I've ever heard

高分析力。能夠一路聽，一路想像得到，睇得到結他線嘅長短粗幼，彈奏嘅幅度，係我決定買佢嘅原因。可惜我購買嘅時候，MUC-B20SB1 升級線已經停產，期望後繼型號快啲生產。

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就下列點三評價大Z1R (MDR Z1R) 1. Run in 時間 2. 欣賞音樂 3. 技術比較 總結 ＞Run in 時間 參考Sony Japan 日本國內用家意見，頭100小時聲音的確是難以接受的，比啲耐性，連續播放100小時後開始有好唔同的體會，愈煲愈有，變化很大，預計要1000小時才基本完成run in 程序。 ＞欣賞音樂 我所追求，除了高音質，還希望聽到歌手、音樂演奏師、錄音師合力所表達的情感靈魂，Sound and soul。 細Z1R做到，大Z1R都做到！ 如果，你再有一些人生經歷，有機會會聽到令人感動甚至落淚的音樂或歌曲，這就是超越音質要求的Z1R系列。 找對了 技術比較 Austrian Audio Monitor，MDR Z1R，IER Z1R， 都用緊來聽歌。 集中講MDR Z1R，有些錄音瑕疵佢都能夠清楚地表達。 例如：蔡琴機遇專輯。 第7首 關於愛情 第3分鐘，開始出現錄爆音，右邊，大力彈琴個吓收尾音符位置。 第9首 偶然 一開首的頭10秒，已經出現錄爆音，右邊聲道，大力彈落去的琴音。 這碟聖，從來，從來無人講過呢3個位錄爆音，大細Z1R 都聽到，較平價的Austrian Audio Monitor 都聽到。 因此 坊間所說的傳言，大Z1R音質不仔細，敏感度不夠是完全不成立的。 相反，是非常敏感。 >同時 我想強調，完全沒有阻礙我欣賞蔡琴機遇專輯中，對台灣台北市淡水鎮的風景人情味意景的表達。 世上沒有任何東西100分，執著了幾吓琴音錄爆了少許就唔聽，就會走火入魔了。 其他參考聆聽的歌手 梅艷芳、徐小鳳、張學友、陳奕迅、葉倩文、Celine Dion、周華健、張艾嘉。 總結 如果有買飛入個場，去尖沙咀文化中心或者歌劇院，親身聽過現場演奏音樂和歌唱，就會清楚知道大Z1R就係嗰種嘅音質和音色，沒有懸念。 音場寬闊而深，定位清楚，沒有矛盾。 同時，榮幸找到朋友帶來國磚 DAP HiBy RS8，自己的黑磚2去試聽大細Z1R，大細Z1R都有個特質，算是易推到有聲有高音質，但極難推到整致。 開闊心胸，聽聽國磚，瞭解日系牌子以外對音樂的追求，令人眼前一亮。 >最後 香港坊間，唔少賣音響或耳機DAP的人，賣Sony產品宣傳Sony產品，卻在銷售時，隨意批評Sony產品質素。 甚至有大型連鎖店銷售員，話我知MDR Z1R 已經停了產，唔好聲。 世上沒有東西是100分的，但是，用這些銷售手法，推銷其它牌子，消費者是心裏有數，我會上日本網站Google 翻譯睇網上評論的。 我第一個唔幫襯，去專賣店買。 這就是我對大Z1R的分享

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我買了差不多一個月，音色上可以給到我想要野，佩戴感好不會太大力夾耳仔同頭，收納盒精美同有一定保護性，

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I bought these Z1R headphones without trying them because I couldn’t find anyone who had them in. Sony we’re less than helpful in locating them or the TA-ZH1ES amplifier and the IER-Z1R either. Now they want me to review the Headphones, well they are overpriced at £1749, I paid £1650, Amazon were asking £1549.81 but in the end couldn’t supply them and so they cancelled the order for me. The build quality is a mix of premium materials, the sheepskin leather cushions are exceptionally comfortable, the 70mm drivers angled towards the ear provide for a well balanced presentation although for me a little brighter with the mid tones would be nice having said that some material is recorded “bright” so this really does depend on the type of material you are listening to, I’m currently using Tidal Masters. The headphones are a great sleeping pill, they can put me out like a light, the resonance filter works very well leaving total silence between tracks. As with everything, what suits one persons taste doesn’t suit another, I’m happy with them although that huge case they come in is really a nuisance and of little use once the headphones are in use plus everything is black, black case black interior, black Chinese cables, black cable wallet and of course the headphones themselves are - you guessed it. Maybe a nice maroon plush interior next time Sony, something warm and inviting. No carry bag/case is provided. Cables - 2 cables are provided, a 3mtr 3.5mm cable makes good sense but the Pentaconn 4.4mm cable is 1.2mtr long - WHY, why can’t I have a 3mtr Pentaconn cable, I’m going to have to sit at or lye on the floor next to my system to use this useless accessory. I did buy some Dekoni velour ear cushions as an alternative to the sheepskin, these can be changed very easily without the need for tools. I do wonder just how premium this Hi-Res equipment actually is, I believe you can judge this by the length of the warranty and in this case it’s a very paltry 12 months, so……. In comparison my basic TV has a 5 year warranty. Would I recommend this product to a friend, I would let them try them and they can make their own mind up as to wether they like the sounds they produce but for the next question I’ll answer yes.

Amazing Sound, Love Very Much, very close to my Million HIFI System

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Great build quality, light, comfortable & great sound.

用咗大約一個月 雖然等咗3個幾月先有得用 不過係值得嘅 而本身用開金磚聽 感覺仲可以上一層樓 期待下一部walkman

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I bought this together with the TAZ-H1ES Headphone Amplifier and NW-ZX507 Walkman Player. The sound produced is amazingly good. Vocals and instruments are very clear even not at high volume. Staging effect is excellent. Even music from downloaded CDs and Music Streaming Service like Apple Music sound excellent - almost as good as Hi Resolution tracks.

煲了110小時後，漸入佳境，音色，音場及定位很出色，建議用Sony Kimber Cable 4.4mm會更好。

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Every once in a while, a manufacturer decides to give their designers and engineers free reign to design their dream product. I'm firmly convinced that Sony did just that with the MDR-Z1R. These headphones are a statement product, an example of a company with considerable resources deciding to assault the notion of what a state-of-the-art headphone could be. From the moment you open the packaging, experience the feel, weight and finish of them, you can tell these are so, so special...and you haven't even heard what they sound like yet! But, then you plug them into your preamp/headphone amp/DAC/player/phone and que up a song (High-Res/CD-quality work best). And you find that this song that you thought you knew so well sounds quite different...that there's more to the bass line than you ever thought was there, that the snap of the snare and crash of the cymbals were never this immediate or clear, that there was such space and depth to the presentation, but with more localization of each instrument and vocal than ever before. And then this song ends, so you play another...and others still...until three hours later, the only realization that can come is you've never experienced your music like this before because you've never had a headphone like this before. Not one with the pace, rhythm and drive, especially in the bass and mids...with such authority over the whole musical presentation. One that is so easy to listen to, with no glaring issues or misses, and without a hint of listening fatigue. Is the Sony MDR-Z1R perfect? No...and that's because if you're a fan of open-back headphone designs, you won't find the airy, spacious sound presentation that the best headphones of that design have. But, I will say these Sony's present with a wider, deeper soundstage of any other closed-back I have ever heard, without ever getting too bright or analytical like some reference open designs do. So, in the end, the Sony MDR-Z1R headphones are quite simply the current reference standard for closed-back headphones. And, if like me, you prefer the sound of closed-back cans, these are the finest headphones on the market today.

I have had these headphones for about a month now and I can't believe how great they sound! They far exceed my Sennheiser HD650's in every way! They are soo clear and full sounding, they play very loud also if you like.

I love the sound of the Z1Rs. Strong bass without distortion or detracting from the Mids suits my music tastes very well. Paired with a stack of excellent Schiit components, the Z1rs provide the highest quality sound I have ever experienced. They are also beautiful in their construction, and more than comfortable. I couldn't be happier with my purchase!

Thundering bass that doesn't bleed into the clean mids, and just enough treble energy to make even the most subdued songs come alive. The MDR-Z1R offers something most flagship headphones lack—fun.

i absolutely love these headphones! bought them for my pc. great quality, superior sound. only problem is, $1800 bucks. its a crazy amount for headphones.

The sound is so purest, crystal clear vocal, deep bass, no single pitching or distortion at all. Absolutely stunning!

I'm a relative newbie to the audiophile world. A few months ago I decided to slow down a bit and get a smoking jacket, a really comfortable chair and the best set of headphones and amp I could get my hands on. I spent countless hours on the internet, listened to some friends cans and then did some value based judging. I initially rejected these because I was convinced Sony's time had passed. The more reviews I saw, the more I got past all the marketing from everyone, the more I realized that so many headphones, if not all, have their own unique signature and that I would never be in a room with all 50 prospective cans to try for myself. I enjoy EDM music mostly, but also bluegrass and other acoustical genres (country, rock). More and more I realized that these closed back headphones were probably perfect for me. I took the plunge and ordered them. I practiced delayed gratification and gave them an appropriate burn in phase. I am 110% satisfied with my purchase. The craftsmanship with quality weeping from every detail is there. They are comfortable, not too heavy, but can get slightly warm on the ears. The soundstage is immersive and the base is smooth and rich. No fatigue that I've felt yet. I do own a few other similarly priced top name brands and can tell you that these are the best crafted and the most pleasurable phones I own. I save the box for all of the audio gear I buy, just in case I ever decide to sell it down the road. I save this box for safe packaging when I move. I will own these until I'm ambient temp. I would buy again without hesitation. Every time I go to my comfy chair (no smoking jacket) and sit down with a glass of wine (or soft drink), close my eyes and put these on, I go away. Really, really far away and it's magical.

好，但高音不足。好，但高音不足。好，但高音下足。好，但高音不足。好好好好好好好好好好好好好好好好好。

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Very nice sound, light, confortable. I buy also the kimber cable balanced i´ts a must the bass response makes a different experience.

The soundstage on this closed back over ears are great and overall very comfortable and durable cans. My only mistake was getting the IER-Z1R which makes the MDR inferior. The IER does everything the same as the MDR but just sonically better from all angles. Now I hardly listen to my MDRs.

Amazing closed back headphone. The leather is very good quality and smells amazing. The build quality is top notch. The most comfortable pair I own. Although MDR-Z1R tends to be a bit genre specific (leaning towards dance, hiphop, and electronic music), it is a great overall performer. It's a little recessed in the mids and +12k for rock and roll, but it is just a such a great chill headphone. A lot of genres sound very good. Bass is so tight and has authority. Nothing is muddy, just really relaxed.

這個產品對我來說是一件極品，早期一心想買Z7的時候，突然間出現了這個旗艦級耳機，在試音室試聽時感到分析力強勁、音色華麗、音場空間宏大，非常之喜歡，但礙於不能用我手上的PHA-3試聽，因此下不了手，近日在坊找到一件硬件能把雙3.5平衡轉成4.4平衡，再到試音室試聽後，需然價格有點貴，但都決定即時購入。 早買早享受，遲買平幾舊。朋友在我手上試聽後也讚不絕口。

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Don’t buy this, ordered it and it broke within the first day, thought it wasn’t unlucky ordered another and it broke again. Horrible product

I've never spent so much money on headphones, especially as I purchased with the top of the range Sony portable DAC (NW-WM1Z), and i did so because i wanted to know for myself if the reviews are real. I'm no audiophile, but i have been blown away time and time again, literally...laugh out loud experiences are continual. I have nearly 5000 albums and i'm slowly working through them like i'm hearing them for the first time. To Sony - thank you so much for investing in the R&D and team to allow them to create such an array of products that for those of us willing to make the financial sacrifices can enjoy. I've never liked a product so much, and i'll continue to be an ardent follow of all future Sony hi-res audio equipment, this entire experience for me was unique and mind blowing and i just can't wait to go to bed every night to escape into my music. I'm obsessed with listening to anything and everything on these headphones. And every day i'm amazed...its a gift that keeps on giving. Just WOW. To the Z1R product team - thank you sooooo much, i'm so, so grateful to enjoy my music with these!!

今年二月才出MDR-Z1R耳机。因之前配金磚wm1z發覺不夠推力推得好這耳机，當買了DMP-Z1後才可完全發揮這耳机的威力。和DMP,-Z1纹合度九成半以上,，最緊妻出番Sony 專有人聲和低音，羊仔皮耳罩配帶舒服不夾耳。重要提議是一定要買升级線muc-b20sb1,原装線質数太差。

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Bought this to add on to my Walkman, just superb! The sound quality is really beyond my expectation!

我在一月尾買了耳機MDR-Z1R，雖然體積比較大，而且還比入耳式耳機重許多，但它蓋着我的耳朵時，那幼滑的羊仔皮，使我感覺到一種舒適寧靜，這種感覺使我可安靜專心地聽音樂，還可仔細欣賞它發出來的美好音質，無論高中低音都很平均自然，沒有特別偏向那一方，而且音埸廣濶，有很好的空間感，原先我不斷追求音質好的入耳式耳機，想尋找可以滿足我的耳機，但始終不易找到，後來，當聽過MDR-Z1R後，我決定改變選擇頭戴式耳機，因為它真的可以帶給我想要的那種音色，我現在每天當聽它，感覺很滿意。

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Coming from MDR-SA5000 and Z1R is excellent out of the box, this also works well with PHA-3.

The quality of the materials used for the headphones and storage box are first class. Adjustment and comfort during use is excellent. I power them with a Chord Mojo DAC amp. Having studied some reviews before I purchased them, I was aware of the “laid back” nature of the sound reproduction, which in turn has led to some negative responses. With this in mind I would recommend that anybody considering purchasing them has an extended demo, to realise their full potential. Be careful though --- it will probably end up with you having to own them!

Exceptional sound quality! They've got a superb build quality,very durable and they are very nice looking headphones! I'm really impressed by these cans! Thumbs up Sony...you've done a really good job on making us happier with our music!

Bought these headphones for a test. I am pretty disappointed. The product is overpriced.

The sound is amazing... Beyerdynamic T1 gen 2 Were my go to before these came into my life. I am not an audiophile and for that matter neither is anyone else. Our ears are so custom that it I all about finding what makes your hearing "feel'

I bought this a week ago and I am really enjoy listening to the music.

I bought these a few weeks ago on the basis of a series of excellent reviews. They are living up to expectations. Most reviewers suggest that they get better with use and that appears to be the case. I am also considering buying the matched amplifier that Sony offers.

Such an amazing headphones best quality and design. 100% recommended

I've owned several other headphones including AKG K601, Sennheiser HD 598, Sony MDR-1A and Sony MDR-Z7, and in my opinion this pair of Z1R is the best so far for pop music, the sound is rich and well balanced, I just wanna listen to every song I have for once more. I really appreciate the use of the newly designed acoustic filter. However, I'm not happy with was the plastic housing, the metal housing used on the Z7 model seems to be much more durable and scratch-resisting. Also, the coating on the hanger is easy to wear off and get tin point too if you are not careful enough. These are well solved problems on the older Z7 and I don't know why Sony didn't adopt the merits from their old model.

Over the past 40 years I have owned countless Sony products. From their TVs, compact and video disc players to Walkmans and many others in between. However, up until now I had never owned a pair of Sony high-end headphones. When I first saw the advertisements for the new MDR-Z1R I was immediately struck by their understated yet striking design. In reading about the technology and craftsmanship I was, needless to say, curious...if not captivated. So, after setting aside some considerable funding I decided to take a leap of faith and purchase a pair online. I received these a few days ago and have been giving them a pretty extensive workout since. I had been reading in previous reviews that they require a fair amount of break-in time to reach their peak performance capabilities. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised at how good they sounded right out of the box and they have only been getting better since. I was struck by their apparent balance across the entire frequency range with maybe a slight bump in the midrange, but that only seems to give the sound a bit more presence. It is not in any way disruptive of a completely enjoyable listening experience. Lower frequencies are tight and powerful and higher frequencies are not harsh or bright. It was a different sound signature than I had been accustomed to from other Japanese engineered products which always seemed to over emphasize the high frequency ranges. But not here, not with these headphones anyway. The sound is well balanced, non-fatiguing and among the best I have heard in comparatively priced headphones. I have a pair of Oppo PM-1 planar magnetic headphones that I have considered my reference and I can say that these certainly rival them for overall presentation and sound quality. As for fit, finish and quality, the Z1Rs are second to none. The ear pads feel luxurious and the band rests very comfortable across the head. The construction and feel of the unit is luxurious and shows off the tremendous quality and craftsmanship that has been put into this product. And while I have a read a few contradictory reviews I could find no fault with the design or construction of these cans. If there is one criticism it is simply that these headphones come at a price premium. At a suggested retail of almost $2300 these are not for the meek. But shop around and you can probably find them for a bit less. Regardless, they are worth the extra money if you are looking to make a significant commitment to your headphone listening and want a pair that will sound great and give you years of listening enjoyment. 5 out of 5 stars for this discerning listener! Good job Sony!

Just picked them up 3 days ago and noticed that the paint on the back of the headphone has a missed painted spot. They are expensive and should have inspected for imperfections. I am not happy!

My brother gift me the headphone and I think this model is the best headphone ever i used.

I am a Professor & two of my students purchased this Headphone. Invited me to enjoy music using this headphone. Splendid feeling,hard to describe it reception simply excellent. Both students describe it their immaculate treasure.

i have had these for about 2 weeks and i dropped them and now they dont work :/

these are the uglyiest headphones and trash and never buy these ever again its the worst headphones.

耳機低頻表現要日後才能試清楚,至於人聲中頻表現不錯解析力足夠也能夠聽出錄音空間背景是什麼,高頻也不錯但可以再進一步. 但可能是我配置不好只用PC跟TA-ZH1ES和一條手工 銅銀XRL4插頭八股芯混編線有關. 至於播放檔案都是96hz''24bit的FLAC和11.2的DSD檔案而影響到耳機表現. 耳機的重量改善空間應該不大但依然是要研究的問題. 透氣方面比MDR-Z7有進一步但也是要改善的地方. 6.35轉插建議不要再使用對音質影響不少. XRL4的配線以及耳機連接插頭可以在下一次產品推出時得到配備和設計上的改善. 亦希望貴公司能大力發展192hz'24bit , 384hz'36bit , DSD音頻檔推出及發售,目前市場上供應非常少.

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I've had this for almost a year and feel they are a real breakthrough in headphones. It's a big, grand sound along with palpable, natural images with real-life spatial portrayal. They are not fatiguing, especially with the optional Sony-Kimber headphone cable made especially for the Z1R (available at Amazon). The Z1R to me has a wonderful warm resonance that does sound aggressive, but is still uncannily real. The music flows but has real impact and humanity. You may want to give up on speakers with these headphones. It's a unique sound that you will not find with any other headphones. Many high end headphones can be shrill and painful in the name of a vivid sound, but that can be hard to live with. Not the Z1R, it is inviting while also resolving, with a balanced sound that is riveting and still supremely musical and detailed. And it's very comfortable too. It is best with a good, fairly powerful amplifier. The Z1R is a real cure for over-shrill digital sound. It sound analog, almost vinyl-like with any digital input. It's an awesome achievement for Sony IMHO.

Bought them to match the Sony headphone amp. They make a good match and provide wonderful listening. They are also very comfortable, despite their large size.

Have been using the Z1R for almost one month. The headphone has excellent bass and treble extension. With high clarity and dynamic range, I can hear details that were not easily picked up with my IEM (6 drivers). The Z1R also sounded natural and has good soundstage, especially width. The depth is also good. Do use the Z1R with a good sound source to fully exploit its capabilities. Using the Z1R with the balance cable gives wider soundstage and faster response.

This headphone very good if you using Kimber cable. You need to break for around 1 week before the original quality shine.

I have it for few months now, and I am still smiling each time I use it. Love the sound signature, very comfortable, very limited sound leakage (I use it at home and at the office). Would not recommend for nomad use though, mainly because of the size and the risk of damaging it if the wired gets caught as it can happen.

I own the Z7 and it is excellent. But when I tried the Z1R and compared it against the Z7 at the KLCC Sony Store, I was amazed at the difference. I came back and got the Z1R the next day.

I've owned a lot of top end headphones, and none have compared to these. They're different and that's why I like them. What these do that other top end headphones do not do is deliver emotion. Warm, buttery emotion whilst not compromising on the high fidelity experience.

First off, build quality is exceptional. However one minor issue. Mine came with different stiffness of earpads. Sony Malaysia took about one month to handle my case and while it’s a long wait, the pad was replaced with no cost. Now come the sound quality. Z1R is miles ahead of Z7 overall in this area. Z1R is versatile transducer with any type of music throw at it. Z7 is edgy and lack cohesion when compared to Z1R. Compared to similar price-point headphone, the Senn HD800S, Z1R is more satisfying and deliver every details HD800S known for with extra punchiness and meaty. Z1R also provide sufficient isolation for ambience noise and preserve more micro details in recording, while HD800S require total silent to perform as well as Z1R. Z1R is no slouch when compared to higher price-point, king of dynamic headphone-Focal Utopia and king of electrostatic- Stax SR009. Both flagship to my ears dig deeper into music and realism is hard to beat. Z1R counter by being easier to drive(higher sensitivity), and as being closed, provide adequate isolation thus more versatile. Z1R is close to the performance of Focal Utopia than the Focal Elear. One who consider Focal Elear, should give Z1R a listen. To me, Z1R is much more complete than Elear in term of sound staging(more 3D, wider) and punch harder as well. Stax SR009 has different tonal balance than the Z1R. Its more linear, airier and more to speaker-like presentation. While Utopia on the other hand has wonderful tone at presence band(instrument, woman voice) that really give the music a life. One with deep pocket should skip Z1R and proceed with either Utopia and SR009. Sound signature of Z1R, out of the box has slight veil and bass can become overbearing with some music. Then overtime(over 50 hours) the tonal balance become more neutral, bass is became more textured. With my new pads, which has right amount of stiffness between both pairs give a boost on overall sound quality than the first originally came with it. Noticeable improvement are on the sound staging and eliminate mid-bass boost and sometime bleed into mid-range that haunt my original pairs. As footnote, my source is Tidal hifi, via Astell and Kern AK320 DAP.

With the new Walkman this the best combination i have bought in years.

Good solid built quality but sound performance is good but not exceptional; performs better with Chord Mojo than PHA-3 with Kimber balanced cables. Beyerdynamic T1(2nd Gen) has better clarity and tighter bass. Hopefully will perform better after longer burn-in. Performs better than the Z7. Quite comfortable to wear.