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Old 10-02-2018, 03:06 AM
radio times radio times is offline
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Default Sony attempt the high end and more with IEM's.

What a wind vane I am, but I've brought me portable rig out of hibernation, just in time to hear about the three new iem's from Sony; the ier M7 ( $800) M9 ($ 1450) and the ier ZX1 at £2000.

The M7 get's rave reviews in it's price segment and uses three BA drivers which didn't sound promising on the surface, the M9 offers 4, and more roast beef and potatoes, and the ZX1 is proposed to match all comers. I have renewed SQ pleasure with my N3 iem's, and am in no real mood to upgrade, but the M7 intrigues all the same. They also have a new headphone which offers trickle down tech from the ZX1 at a keen price but that is of less interest.
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Old 10-02-2018, 07:56 AM
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Sorry chaps, that's 4 BA's for the M7 and 5 for the M9
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Old 10-02-2018, 08:16 AM
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Sony has offered high-end headphones for what............. 30yr+? One might even argue that, along with Stax, they started the "high-end headphones" format those many years ago. The fact that they would join in the high-end of IEMs should be no surprise. Wish I could find 'comfort' with IEMs. They certainly seem convenient.
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Old 10-02-2018, 02:31 PM
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My N3's are comfortable, but the prince of the new collection, the ZX1's, are fairly solid metal affairs and might weigh a tad. Sony had a long gap with high end headphones until the ZX1 a year or so back. Some say it's the best closed back out there. But not all.
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Old 10-08-2018, 03:40 PM
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The Sony booth at RMAF had a DMP-Z1 headphone amp/DAP paired with MDR-Z1R headphones. I loved the sound, now I think differently of Sony. I wish I knew Sony made high end IEMs because I was at their crowded booth.

I just ordered custom made IEM J Harvey "LAYLA" and thinking of A&K Ultima DAP; that Sony has me second guessing myself.
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Old 10-08-2018, 11:34 PM
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Up to now they haven't really. Sure many models have been great in the mid range, and in some cases have been deeply enjoyable, but their first foray in to BA's back in the day just gave treble, and you tended to get sweet fulsome bass and treble in the good one's, but the mid's tended to be left at the door. Which mean't classical music tended to take a tumble, but not jazz etc. The Sony chiefs said 'Let's rule the low/mid range with our rich clear SS' and for me they succeeded in some cases. Then the N3 came along and brought the mid's to the party, and it rivaled the Senn for the first time. They put the work in with their home grown BA's, and while many people enjoyed their first multi BA efforts some 6-8 years ago they were again trying to rule the waves in the mid range. The M7 and M9 have received great praise in their segments and their work seem's to be paying off. Mind you I wouldn't call a $1400 iem mid range, and perhaps we can say the £ 800 M7 is peaking it's snozzle over the parapet in it's small way. I can say with some assurance that the ZX1 is their first foray in to genuine high end IEM's.
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