Last year August Sony Japan uncovered 5 new items, two of which belong to the Sony Signature series.
I spare you the marketing jargon of what that family is this is the sub-heading Sony likes to group their expensive "flagship" lineup.
For more reading about what Signature series sound is please read this article: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-signature-series
I always have my eye on Sony IEM lineup. This is because Sony MDR-EX-1000 was my first flagship dynamic IEM and my second most cherished purchased right after my beloved Etymotics ER4S.
I've owned all the IEM ever since. From the amazing EX-1000, to the head-scratching XBA-4, to the okay sounding A3/N5, to promising XBA-N3, I kept my hopes up.
I also own the WM1A which I feel worth every cent Sony is asking for. Tried the WM1Z and wanted but couldn't justify the price difference compared to 1A. Tried the DMP-Z1, wanted to take a small bank loan, but sanity own me over.
How I ended up getting the IER-Z1R is a long story. Maybe not that long, basically I first tried it last year in an audio-show, loved it. Went to Singapore for a holiday and tried to audition it again after rumours that Sony is still trying to fine-tune its sound. I tried it and dislike what I heard; it sounded nothing like what I first heard. Some dude told me he wanted me to buy him a Z1R, I did, he changed his mind and here I'm now an owner of a Z1R. Am I sad, no, as deep inside I wanted to buy it. But I know you are reading this article Mr Dude, not cool dude, not cool and no I will never let you borrow MY Z1R, go get your own.
What do I think of this beast? I don't think they are overpriced! Sadly now days 2400 AUD for a flagship places it on the low end of high-end IEM market. What a crazy world we are in as a hobbyist, 2400 AUD (2000 USD) gets you an entry tier high end IEM!
It is too soon to say how I feel about the Z1R. If you are a Sony collector, like I once was, this is just a natural purchase. But having owned the M9 for a good 4 months I struggle to gravitate towards the Z1R as much as I like to be.
The accessory set, while looks comparatively more comprehensive than M9, the cable technology is basically the same. Z1R cable feels thicker, but they both have Silver-coated OFC, and silk braided cable. They both fit well in ear, but M9 fits slightly better because of its smaller housing.
I spare you the marketing jargon of what that family is this is the sub-heading Sony likes to group their expensive "flagship" lineup.
For more reading about what Signature series sound is please read this article: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/audio-signature-series
I always have my eye on Sony IEM lineup. This is because Sony MDR-EX-1000 was my first flagship dynamic IEM and my second most cherished purchased right after my beloved Etymotics ER4S.
I've owned all the IEM ever since. From the amazing EX-1000, to the head-scratching XBA-4, to the okay sounding A3/N5, to promising XBA-N3, I kept my hopes up.
I also own the WM1A which I feel worth every cent Sony is asking for. Tried the WM1Z and wanted but couldn't justify the price difference compared to 1A. Tried the DMP-Z1, wanted to take a small bank loan, but sanity own me over.
How I ended up getting the IER-Z1R is a long story. Maybe not that long, basically I first tried it last year in an audio-show, loved it. Went to Singapore for a holiday and tried to audition it again after rumours that Sony is still trying to fine-tune its sound. I tried it and dislike what I heard; it sounded nothing like what I first heard. Some dude told me he wanted me to buy him a Z1R, I did, he changed his mind and here I'm now an owner of a Z1R. Am I sad, no, as deep inside I wanted to buy it. But I know you are reading this article Mr Dude, not cool dude, not cool and no I will never let you borrow MY Z1R, go get your own.
What do I think of this beast? I don't think they are overpriced! Sadly now days 2400 AUD for a flagship places it on the low end of high-end IEM market. What a crazy world we are in as a hobbyist, 2400 AUD (2000 USD) gets you an entry tier high end IEM!
It is too soon to say how I feel about the Z1R. If you are a Sony collector, like I once was, this is just a natural purchase. But having owned the M9 for a good 4 months I struggle to gravitate towards the Z1R as much as I like to be.
The accessory set, while looks comparatively more comprehensive than M9, the cable technology is basically the same. Z1R cable feels thicker, but they both have Silver-coated OFC, and silk braided cable. They both fit well in ear, but M9 fits slightly better because of its smaller housing.
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