Sony IER-Z1R Signature Series in-Ear Headphones (IERZ1R),Black/Silver

Product Information

The build quality is top notch, all metal and real leather earpads and headband material. The exterior part of the cups is made from a mesh of woven stainless steel covered in chromium. After this layer then comes a paper filter to absorb resonances made from Canadian wood pulp using japanese paper methods, then the housing of the driver made of plastic. Both can expose sibilant in the music but moreso on The EF and even more on The Ether C due to its thin bright nature, The Z1R is so smooth in the vocals, sibilance is still there if its there in the recording but the tuning and smoothness definitely helps and it doesn't bother me at all (think the vocals in the CA andromeda, can be sibilant but somehow it's not bothersome at all) but at the expense of minute details I think. The C and EF are going for details so it will expose all those bad qualities straight up to you. Extension wise, I have to say that The Z1R extends way better than the Ether C and EF, the extension and decay is much more noticeable due to both better technicalities and also extra emphasis, there details in my music that I never notice in the other 2 cans that I do with the Z1R. winner: depends on your preference, I like the Z1R more, I listen to Metal so brightness is not my thing. For other Music, EF wins, Ether C is again thin and not enjoyable. The super tweeter in the IER-Z1R was developed to deliver ultra-high frequency extension with a new aluminum-coated LCP diaphragm and external magnetic circuit. Its ultra-fast response faithfully follows the fast dynamic transience of music, which provides you with live concert hall atmosphere.

Sony IER-Z1R Review — Headfonics

Taking the Sony house sound to a more mature and maybe advanced level; because everything is clearer; it’s that detailed 3D no stopping clarity! A more physical and carved-out bass than with the full-size Z1R yet focused like the Z7. The IEM here actually becomes of more finesse yet touchable as well as comprehensible! Here we are met with a more in-your-head soundstage, being a more concentrated and mind-bending elixir.Separation is excellent too, you can pin point different instruments in the orchestra. The instruments have plenty of air arround them. The headphones don't lose coherence when playing very complex passages like a full chorus with brass section and violins (Claudio monteverdi Selva morale espirituale/Gabriel garrido Enselble elyma). It has the same effect as the mids though, for every bit you hear, you hear from beginning till the end but it is not as effortless as the mids. The driver is a mammoth 70mm Aluminum covered liquid crystal polymer (LCP) with a magnesium dome. It self the driver had a new magnet which is developed by sony. In the ever-evolving world of audio technology, Sony continues to define excellence with its flagship earphone, the Sony IER-Z1R, it has been around a while yet is still considered by many to be one of the best In-Ear Headphones in 2023. The IER Z1R doesn’t look like any other IEM on the market, with its wide circular aluminum housing and significant weight. Their faceplates give you a jewel-like design that gives off a high-end feel that asserts a level of unparalleled value. Where the IER isn’t as lavish though is its level of comfortability. In its initial insertion, the IER can feel very unnatural, like it’s not supposed to be in your ear at all. Even when trying different ear tip sizes, the IER just feels like a bulky piece of metal that takes a while to adjust to. Once you find its sweet spot, the IER offers good support, but it is not a feeling that will disappear the longer you listen to it. Design

IER-Z1R | Page 5 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion SONY IER-Z1R | Page 5 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion

You get some nice accuracy and detail in then IER’s treble, and the height it gives to the imaging is definitely one of the highlights of this area. Its resonance is softer but doesn’t dull itself or roll-off too significantly. I always felt like you were getting a good treble presence that appeared easily digestible for most listeners, even when some of the details aren’t immediately noticeable. Its resonance might be more linear, but it doesn’t take away any form of enjoyment from the treble’s overall timbre. Summary balanced terminated cable (new standard, I really like this a lot, but again not the most practical, not yet)

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I boxed up the Z1R after three days and returned it. I didn't expect that listening to it for more days would help much, nor should it be necessary. I wasn’t going to use David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue),” since I don’t want to over use it. But while the bass sounds excellent, the synths came across very metallic and harsh sounding in the upper registers – definitely a weakness in these headphones that the XTC doesn’t have.