Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones

Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones

Experience uncompromised sound quality and premium craftsmanship with Sony's flagship Signature Series headphones, featuring massive 70mm HD drivers, full-range sound up to 120kHz and Hi-Res Audio support. From the resonance-free housing and Fibonacci-patterned grills, to the silver-coated OFC cables, each Signature Series component elevates the high-resolution sound experience from one you listen to, to one you can feel.

Hear The Difference With Massive 70mm HD Drivers: Capture every note and nuance with the pure sound of a dynamic, closed-back circumaural design with 70mm HD Drivers. The 70mm HD drivers are improved with a newly developed Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragm and magnesium dome, that dramatically reduces spatial resonance. The result is unparalleled sound purity and precision.

Enjoy Full Range Sound Up To 120khz Frequency Response: The newly developed diaphragm with Magnesium dome and Liquid Crystal Polymer edge enables an extended frequency response spanning 4 Hz to 120 kHz and is designed for today's broad variety of musical styles. The 4 Hz low end of the frequency range offers more than enough latitude for even the deepest sub-bass notes. The 120 kHz high-end leaves your treble pure and untouched to well beyond the audible range ensuring you'll be able to enjoy unparalleled sound purity and precision giving vocal melodies, subtle audio harmonics and tonality more life and realism.

Aluminium-Coated LCP Edge Diaphragm With Magnesium Dome For More Precision: The Magnesium dome diaphragm propagates vibrations generated from the voice coil to the dome part, and achieves the reproduction of sound in the super-high frequency range. The combination of multiple high internal loss materials leads to less sound coloration and clear sound.

Keep The Sound Pure: Filter out unnecessary noise with the resonance-free housing. A special acoustic paper filter (developed using Canadian softwood fibres and formed using the Japanese paper technique of Washi) controls the air resistance and eliminates any reverberations produced by driver movement, so that only clean, crisp frequencies get through.

Smooth Sound At All Frequencies: Fibonacci-patterned grills reproduce the intended sound properties smoothly at all frequencies.

Minimize Resistance & Signal Loss With Silver-Coated OFC Cables: The MDR-Z1R uses silver-coated oxygen-free copper cables, designed to minimize resistance and signal-transmission loss. The result is less sound degradation, finer detail and smoother high frequencies.

4.4mm Balanced Connection Cable: The newly developed 4.4mm balanced connection cable separates left and right sound signals, while minimising signal transmission loss and resulting sound deterioration. The result is smoother high frequencies and superior sound quality. The Sony MDR-Z1R's can be used directly into the balanced 4.4mm connection on the Sony NW-ZX507B, NW-WM1AM2 & NW-WM1ZM2 Walkman digital music players.

Listen In Cushioned Comfort with Ergonomic Sheepskin Earpads: The ergonomically crafted headphones are designed to comfortably encase your head in sound; preventing any from leaking and effectively delivering powerful lows. The genuine sheepskin ear pads cushion your ears in luxurious softness.

Enjoy Lightweight Luxury with Titanium & Leather Headband: The titanium and leather headband is flexible and light, yet durable, for a more natural over ear fit. Beta titanium exhibits high elasticity which will return to its original shape even when bent. Genuine leather adds sturdiness and comfort.

Enfolding Design Structure: The enfolding design is tailored to wrap around the ear, sealing music in and keeping distractions out. Acoustics are reflected back towards your ears for the subtlest of sounds.

Pure Sound, No Added Noise: Filtering out the unnecessary with resonance-free housing. A special acoustic filter controls the air resistance and eliminates any reverberations produced by driver movement, so that only clean, crisp frequencies get through.

Hard Case For Storage: The headphones and accompanying cables come presented in a stylish storage case, with separated compartments and a luxury satin lining.

Engineered And Crafted In Japan: Sony products made in Japan are synonymous with absolute quality and performance, and the MDR-Z1R headphones are no exception. They are lovingly crafted with only the finest components and manufacturing techniques, resulting in exceptional sound quality.

About Sony

In 1946, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, The predecessor of Sony Group Corporation) started as a small company with capital of just 190,000 yen and approximately 20 employees. Founder Masaru Ibuka said the purpose of setting up the company was to establish an ideal factory that stresses a spirit of freedom and open mindedness that will, through technology, contribute to Japanese culture. Symbolizing Sony's spirit of challenge to do what has never been done before, the company has continued to release countless "Japan's first" and "world's first" products.

Sony has released many ground-breaking and significant products throughout its history which include Japan's first transistor radio in 1955 followed 2 years later by the first pocket sized portable transistor radio. The Cassette Walkman in 1979, the world's first direct-view portable transistor TV in 1960, followed by the first Trinitron TV in 1968. The first Beta VCR in 1975, Japan's first audio reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1950 and Sony's first cassette tape recorder in 1966. World's first compact disc player in 1982, the first Super Audio CD (SACD) player in 1999. First stereo headphones in 1964, the first in-ear headphones in 1982 and the world's first digital noise cancelling headphones in 2008. Sony's original PlayStation launched in Japan in 1994 and the latest PlayStation 5 was released worldwide in late 2020.

This very short list merely scratches the surface of what Sony has achieved over the last 75 years. This multi-national corporation continues to innovate and produce cutting edge products in almost every audio visual category for you to enjoy in your home.

Sony MDR-Z1R Headphone Reviews

"The first thing we notice is the Sony's seismic bass performance. It's not massively overstated as is the current fashion, but impresses through a combination of power, authority and agility that few rivals match. Being a closed-back design helps as far as bass quantity and power is concerned, and of course, drops the amount of environmental noise to a low level. It means you can listen to music with someone else in the room, and neither of you get disturbed.

We tried a range of music from Han's Zimmer's Interstellar OST right the way through to E.N.D from Black Eyed Peas and these cans take it all in stride. Interstellar shows off the Sony's scale and dynamic reach, and we're impressed by the headphones' composure during the demanding peaks of Mountains. We like the controlled and composed way they organise the instrumental strands when things get complicated. There's no sign of stress or a hint of hardening up, even at higher volume levels.

Tonally, things are nicely balanced between the powerful low-end and crisp treble.

While open-back designs … will invariably sound more open, by closed-back standards these Sonys are impressively spacious sounding and pleasingly articulate with it. They also shine when it comes to detail resolution. If you want to hear every last nuance in your recordings these Sonys deserve to be high up on your list.

They dig up a terrific amount of detail and present it in a coherent and musical manner. Listening to the Black Eyed Peas' Boom Boom Pow shows that these headphones know how to have fun. They deliver the track's pounding, richly textured bassline with enthusiasm, capturing the hard-hitting rhythmic flow with ease.

While an initial listen may highlight the Sony's controlled delivery, a longer listen reveals there's little missing in the way of drive or entertainment. The midrange is as impressive as the frequency extremes, with the headphones delivering the group's distinctive vocals with fluidity, conviction and when required, subtlety. The MDR-Z1R's excellent insight means vocal and instrumental tracks are easy to follow, even in a dense mix.

Sony hasn't been shy about charging a premium price for these headphones. Thankfully, the MDR-Z1R is capable of a performance that justifies such an expense.

If you want a closed-back headphone, and are willing to feed these Sonys with capable electronics, we don't think we've tested a better alternative." What Hi-Fi?

"The MDR-Z1R headphones are special. Nothing quite matches their combination of comfort, sound, and compatibility with a wide range of playback devices. Bass extension through the MDRZ1R was as good as I've heard from any headphone. Comfort is also among the best available. While not completely a closed design, the MDR-Z1R does offer some attenuation of outside noise." The Absolute Sound Editors' Choice Awards 2023

"Many years ago, I visited the late loudspeaker designer John Dunlavy at his factory in Colorado Springs. One of the A/B tests we did in his listening room was to compare the spectral balance of his big 650-pound SC-VI loudspeakers with a pair of Sony 7506 headphones. I was struck by a feeling of audiophile déjà vu when I read that the new MDR-Z1R headphones had been compared by senior mastering engineer Mark Wilder to a pair of Duntech loudspeakers as a spectral reference, as these were also designed by John Dunlavy.

I found the MDR-Z1R to be the best-sounding all-around headphones I've heard. What do I mean by "all-around?" By this I refer to the fact that unlike most earphones which are either open and need a quiet environment or suffer some sonic degradation because they are a sealed design with interior reflections and non-linear physical resistance to driver motion, the MDR-Z1R is a "unicorn" that can be used in far more situations. Its design combines the best aspects of an open 'phone with enough to be used in environments where an open headphone could not be appreciated, such as your local public library or open floorplan office.

Looking at my listening notes the words "no limitations" occur in numerous sessions. Try as I may, I was hard-pressed to hear any sonic shortcomings that I could lay at the feet of the MDR-Z1R. Whether I was listening to a commercially available recording or my own live concert recordings, the MDR-Z1R provided a clear window into the event. My listening time through the MDR-Z1R was split between the Sony NW-WM1Z and the Mytek Brooklyn DAC/Pre, both of which proved to be synergistic pairings.

Although they image in a different spatial environment than loudspeakers, headphones do create a soundstage. The MDR-Z1R's soundstage was not only exceedingly three-dimensional, but also quite large. It wasn't so much that the image was big, but the soundstage boundaries seemed to have far more extension than with most headphones. Also, within the soundstage each instrument had remarkably well-defined dimensions.

On my own recordings, I was more aware of how the sound moved through the hall. The differences between the direct and reflected sound was more apparent than with any closed-back headphone I've used, due in part to the lack of interior reflections in the MDR-Z1R's enclosure. Image specificity was scary at times. Listening to Chance the Rapper's "Blessings" via Tidal I was aware of how the easy it was to hear each element within the dense mélange of sound—even to the point of hearing the phase-shift added to the acoustic piano at the beginning of the track.

In their informational materials Sony mentions using the Duntech loudspeakers as a spectral reference. And like the Duntechs, the MDR-Z1R's spectral balance is very much in the "straightno-chaser" school that does not try to editorialize the harmonic spectrum. The bass, while extended, does not have any extra midbass bloom or romance. But, of course, your choice of amplifier will affect this balance, bigly (I couldn't resist). With the all-tube, single-ended, Dennis Had-designed Dragon Inspire IHA-1, the MDR-Z1R gained some additional lower midrange richness and a bigger, but slightly less controlled low bass.

Bass extension through the MDR-Z1R was as good as I've heard from any headphone. On bass-heavy tracks such as DJ Snake's "Too Damn Low," the MDR-Z1R delineated the different pitches of the synth drums exceedingly well. Also, that puff of air that accompanies lower frequencies came through with remarkable impact. On Chance the Rapper's "Blessings" via Tidal, the bottom end seemed to have no dynamic restrictions. Even on cuts that were not bass-intensive, such as Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," the MDR-Z1R had a level of definition, detail, and control that would please anyone who favors that low-down sound.

If you have a couple of songs on which you've never quite been able to make out all the lyrics, listen to them through the MDR-Z1R. I guarantee that you will never confuse "Kiss the sky" with "Kiss this guy" again. Modern stuff like Beyoncé's "Sorry" had a lot of "bad words" buried in the mix that I didn't know were there until I listened to the track through the MDR-Z1R." Steven Stone, The Absolute Sound Magazine

Our Take On The Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones

I bet when most of you think Sony headphones, you're thinking Bluetooth and wireless, because they make some of the best examples of those in the business. And that's exactly what several staff at Audio Trends own, for those times when wire free convenience or travelling is on the agenda. But when you're ensconced in the comfort of your favourite chair at home and wires aren't a problem then your mind might wander away from Bluetooth and onto a more high resolution solution. Enter the MDR-Z1R's. Whether used balanced or single ended, they have a natural flow that Bluetooth can't come close to. The sort of sound that's real, not filtered by digital technological interference. And being closed back, you can listen in the same room as another person and be in your own private sonic universe without annoying them, as open back headphones inevitably do. The attention to detail in design and construction is exquisite, with real leather, memory foam, titanium and massive 70mm drivers that have a frequency response out to an insane 120kHz. Just as well they're closed backed, otherwise dogs would definitely be complaining. Oh, and if you do want to listen on the move the MDR-Z1R's work brilliantly with Sony's range of Walkman digital music players and even connect in highest quality balanced mode to the top three models in the line-up. Sometimes you come across a product that you just want, whether you need it or not, and the Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones are that sort of product. If you come around for a look and listen to the MDR-Z1R's, make sure you have funds available because there is no doubt you will be reaching for your credit card at some point. Lucky you.

Main Features & Specifications

• Design: Closed Back Dynamic Headphones with Balanced 4.4mm & Single Ended 3.5mm Connections
• High-Resolution Audio compatible
• Responsive magnesium dome with liquid crystal polymer-edge diaphragm for ultimate clarity
• Resonance Free Housing
• Drive Unit: 2.76" (70mm), Magnesium Dome with Copper-Clad Aluminium Wire (CCAW) Voice Coil
• Magnet: Neodymium
• Design Type: Closed, Dynamic, Circumaural (Around The Ear/Over Ear)
• Frequency Response: 4 Hz - 120,000 Hz
• Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
• Impedance: 64Ω at 1 kHz
• Type: Closed, Dynamic Circumaural
• Plug: Headphone cable (gold-plated stereo mini plug), Balanced-connection headphone cable (L-shaped gold-plated balanced standard plug)
• Cables: Headphone cable (approx. 3m, silver-coated OFC strands, gold-plated stereo mini plug), balanced connection headphone cable (approx. 1.2m, silver-coated OFC strands, L-shaped gold-plated balanced standard plug), 6.35mm Adaptor
• Cable Type: Detachable Y-type
• Weight: Approx. 385g without cable
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 Year

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.