SONY IER-Z1R
May 10, 2024 at 2:25 AM Post #15,286 of 15,297
Yes, you describe the sound well. Most speak of the bass but it's actually Z1R treble that makes it the best all rounder I've heard, in my opinion. Both fits are 'correct', I can use Sony S tips for a deep fit, or M tips for a shallower seal. I get a good seal on both (easy to test seal, use a track with bass drums like Hotel California and check that they hit like they should).

As long as you're only inserting the nozzle up to the teardrop ridge on the shell, you're doing it right. Try shove it any further, like some people oddly try to do, and you'll have all sorts of fit issues. Look at the shape of the shell - the teardrop bulge just below the nozzle corresponds with the same cavity shape in our ears. It's literally designed to 'slot in', but you can also push it slightly further out with a larger tip if you don't mind the earpieces balancing on the tip itself.

As above, yes you can get a good seal.with both, one deeper, one shallower. Most say treble is less splashy with a deeper fit. I wear it that way because it's more comfortable and the nozzle is thin enough to do so. With IEMs with thicker nozzles I only have a shallow fit as an option.
I’m in the position where I can only get a good seal with L or LL tips and at the same time that is a deep fit. With anything smaller I can’t get a fit at all and there don’t exist a tip that is large enough for me to get a shallow fit. But then agsin I have a very large ear canal and cavity, the shells of my JH13 ciem are the same size as the whole body of the Z1R.

I don’t have any comfort issues and can use the Z1R the whole day though normally the longest I use it is about 4 hours (the duration of a Wagner opera)
 
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May 10, 2024 at 2:38 AM Post #15,287 of 15,297
In the very beginning i had fit issues with the IER-Z1R for which i found workarounds, but nothing was really comfortable for a long listening session.

The only thing i considered comfortable was when i tried the foam i used on my IER-M9. I went for a different size, but in the end, i could wear it quite comfortable with my good ol COMPLY TZ-200.

Especially they did no longer move after inserting them and so just stayed in place which helped a lot
 
May 10, 2024 at 3:08 AM Post #15,288 of 15,297
Team shallow fit for the 2mm of extra soundstage
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May 10, 2024 at 3:10 AM Post #15,289 of 15,297
6kHz vs 12kHz resonance team, pick your poison.
 
May 10, 2024 at 3:53 AM Post #15,290 of 15,297
Have you tried something in between? I'd find it hard to believe you can get a proper seal with both SS and L... (?)
Oh yes, I have tried M size with the IER M9's stock silicon hybrids (they're the same, right?) as this z1r unit is a bit old with some of its stock tips missing.

I was able to get a good seal with them as well, and it was a very slight in-between when going for a deeper and shallower fit. I was just curious on the whole conversation between shallower and deeper fits, and I guess I played around with the ss and L tips because those were the stock accessories that were still there for me to use in the unit that I received lol
 
May 17, 2024 at 2:40 AM Post #15,292 of 15,297
Finally time to try out BSEP...

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Initial impressions (tried my best..)

More linear / less V
Vocals more forward (male)
Better stage (clearer separation & placement, also side effect of mids being pulled forward)
Bass resolution improved
Bass / lower mid timbre improved (side effect of res?)
Maybe a slight lift on bass, emphasis shifted up slightly
More upper mid emphasis (snare). Little bit peaky on snare attack for now.
Listening done with Blood Sugar Sex Magic, know it inside out.
TLDR, sounds more linear / coherent / punchy than stock. Break in over the weekend then want to listen to this with K19, treble needs to open up. Sounds like a copper cable that needs some play time, actually no idea what it's made of.

Ergo is spot on and can see the appeal with Brise, feels / looks quite premium.
 
May 17, 2024 at 7:03 AM Post #15,293 of 15,297
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Yep, this sounds rather good. 👌

Shout out to @MusicTeck for supplying and well worth the LONG wait to get it. 😁
 
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May 17, 2024 at 7:56 AM Post #15,295 of 15,297
Just shy of 3 months.
 
May 17, 2024 at 1:21 PM Post #15,296 of 15,297
6kHz vs 12kHz resonance team, pick your poison.
Both with right amount 😁
Too deep valley on 6khz will sounded too safe and less exciting, nice bite of lower trebles is important too for fun factor.
12khz brilliance are where all the magic kept. Smooth air upper trebles that can make perceival of sharp imaging and layering are here.

Can't choose each one only.
 
May 18, 2024 at 2:02 AM Post #15,297 of 15,297
Both with right amount 😁
Too deep valley on 6khz will sounded too safe and less exciting, nice bite of lower trebles is important too for fun factor.
12khz brilliance are where all the magic kept. Smooth air upper trebles that can make perceival of sharp imaging and layering are here.

Can't choose each one only.
I am surprised myself how little of a problem that 6kHz peak is. It made me realize that I only have issues with 5kHz (where I normally hear a huge resonance with pretty much every IEM that graphs flat there, and I cannot use IEM that are already having a peak). The Z1R gets a lot of hate from graph sniffers for looking a bit uncontrolled, almost like a toblerone, but honestly I think dipping 5kHz here was a 200 IQ moment from Kuwahara, if it was intended. That’s how they managed to push the treble that hard without it sounding that fatiguing.

I also complained in this thread about 12kHz which was very noticeable during tonegen, but honestly it sounds amazing with music.
 

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