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

Product Information

The IER-Z1R has an elevated bass response with the boost becoming more apparent in the sub-bass region at around 50 Hz which is sustained until around 150 Hz before gradually dipping.

As for the sound, both suit my taste in terms of tonality yet I find the Z1R to have a better technical prowess as it has a better instrument separation, layering, and a wider soundstage. Bass and treble are more extended with the Z1R. Empire Ears Legend X Technical Sound-wise, both are at par with each other as they share almost the same balanced signature with a very mild U-shape tuning. Both the Solaris and the Z1R have a sub-bass bias in their low end but the latter provides more slam which results in a deeper staging.

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Decay, meanwhile, is relatively pacey allowing uptempo music to shine without losing any detail. One thing I find noteworthy is how good the bass texture is on the IER-Z1R.

The price may be quite steep yet it’s expected from a flagship monitor, especially from an established brand like Sony. In justifying the price, you could just tell yourself that some would even spend thousands for a piece of jewelry. So how much more for a piece of jewelry that provides excellent sound? Yup. For me, that is pretty much justifiable. Sony IER-Z1R Specifications Driver complement: One 12mm dynamic mid-bass driver with magnesium diaphragm, one newly developed Sony balanced-armature tweeter, and one 5mm dynamic super-tweeter. In sum, Sony’s IER-Z1R is a true, world-class earphone that sounds even more beautiful than it looks. Is it the best of the best? It is certainly in the running for top honours, though only you can decide if it qualifies as your ‘personal best.’ TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The treble region is where the Sony IER-Z1R pulls ahead with no sharp 6KHz peak (A8000’s biggest downside) and more extended upper-treble. This leads to an even wider soundstage (though A8000 has very good stage width). Imaging is about even on both with center-imaging being slightly less accurate on both IEMs. Overall resolution is about similar on both, with the more resolving A8000 midrange being counter-balanced by the smoother yet better extended treble on the IER-Z1R. I also paired it with the Sony WM1A through its 4.4mm balanced port and I found the comfortable listening volume at around 40 on medium gain. The Lotoo Paw Gold Touch through its balanced output effortlessly fed enough power to make the Z1R shine. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. As for the Sony WM1A pairing, its tonality was somehow comparable to that of the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch but the latter simply bests Sony’s DAP in terms of staging, dynamics, and detail retrieval.