Great review as always man, I've been waiting for this one. I recently received the IER-Z1R I agree with the comfort level, but it is definitely one of the best in-ear monitors I own when it comes to sound and quality.

I had the super tweeter fail in my pair, I can say for certain that it’s failure was noticeable in cymbal hits in hard rock and heavy metal, which took on a severely distorted finish. Sony support was fabulous, they immediately sent me out a brand new sealed complete retail package when they confirmed the issue. Edit: I’d like to add that the Eartip selection is tremendous, and the two stock cables it comes with are among the best I’ve ever seen, no jank, no microphonics, pleasing coating etc. I just wish they were easier to buy individually, because I want to replace the cables on all my iems with them

Hi & Thanks for another great review! I see the Meze Rai Penta in the video - How would you compare the Z1R to it? Many thanks!

really good review and overall informative, but sadly from what I noticed most of the flaws that you mentions are because of the fits, which is totally fine, not all human ears are the same size after all, but the treble and imaging improve dramatically if you can get a deep fits. My best experience with it is using one of those 3 fins tips that push its really deep into your ears and create a perfect seals (pretty much can't hear a thing outside) and it's one of the best IE mi ever heard, but too bad the tips are quite uncomfortable so I usually use the extra small spinfit tips and its still great, but my ears are quite big so the IEm fits me well.

Hi there! Hope you can give me some advice. I'm looking to get my first headphone setup, I really fancy a tube amp setup but i want something budget friendly. I have a computer with optical out and i thought a good setup could be the Schiit Modi coupled to the schiit Vali with the Massdrop AKG K7XX headphones. My main use will be jazz, rock, classical & to connect it to my ps4 to game, as it also has optical out. Do you think this set up is worth it? Or is there anything you would change or add to get the most out of my money? Maybe invest more on headphones might be really worth it? What do you think?Thanks!!

Not that you would want to try this with an IEM that you don't own, but the ear guide can easily be molded to one's ear by using a hairdryer on the cable, getting it nice and warm, them putting it on and pulling it into place and holding it for a bit. I have done this with several other cables with this same build and it works well.

Excellent review. Like some of the others who have commented I also have this iem. I would add one comment that it may be interesting for you to listen to it using sony DAPs such as the nw-wm1a or nw-wm1z. Both of these DAPs were tuned with this iem in mind.

How do these compare to the MDR-Z1R? Which do you prefer?

Ikko OH10? Would like to compare since they are still the most powerful and clean in the bass for me.

Hi Josh. Really appreciate your high quality and thoughtful work! Can I request you to kindly do a review of Sony IER-M7 and M9 as well?

So I know talking price this is fully sacrilegious, but based on how you describe the Sony's, could you compare their sound with the Monoprice Quintet IEM's? They sound like they have similar sound balance and emphasis, and I'd be curious to see how much improvement the extra price brings.

My friend is it better than fiio fh7 you advise which one please help me

Did you try these with the TA-ZH1ES amp like you did with the MDR? They pair up really well! Some say it works even better than the MDR with that amp.

Could u review the Voyager 14 please. Thank You.

The over-the-ear design isn't intended to redistribute its weight, it's to hold the IEM more firmly in place and prevent it from being accidentally dislodged.

Good review except the super tweeter is absolutely blazing 🔥 to my ear and one of the coolest sounding trebles I’ve ever heard & the soundstage is bomb for an IEM...I think the fit of these make some people hear them different than others. Love them.

How does this compare to the mdr-z1r?

i'm using these with Sony WM1A through 4.4, incredibly well pair & synergy.

Can you do a review on the AkG n5005,All the other reviews are in foreign languages

Please review the Dunu Luna...can't make up my mind between the Luna and the Z1R.

What lighting do you use? Also will you review the Final D8000, I have heard they are better than their pro version, better than Meze Empyrean, Focal Utopia/Stellia, on par with Hifiman Susvara, and still better than the LCD 4s. (All based on so much research but very very opinion based obviously)

can you review the ier m9 too?

please review the 2020 campfire andromeda and 64audio tia fourte

Susvara in background....how are you enjoying it?

I was sooo pumped for these until the end of the video when you said 2000$ headphone 😂. Still always fun and informative to watch your reviews. Thanks a lot.

In regards to amplification. This is not a hard to drive IEM by any means but def not easy. A half decent Dongle should be able to drive it well and in my case I use the ibasso DC04 pro in Balanced 4.4 I would say that a 3.5 and 4.4 really makes a huge difference in the fullness of the sound

How do these compare to the IER M7 (also from Sony). As far as I'm concerned, the M7 have a more "neutral" sound in comparison with the Z1R. It would be great a review of those. Cheers!

can you review the Ifi Hip dac?

This or Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 🤔

this vs senheiser ie 900 ?

it will be interesting if there is a registry of 3d ready to print in 3d printer files of iem so we can the try before buy

Huge upgrade compare to Z5?

Hey just a heads up your #Tags have the Hifiman HE1000 tags in them.

Are these better than Shure se846

This is a review based on improper seal?

i just got mine today and it took over 20mins to find the right tip. I think the fit will throw a lot of people off. You know you got it right when you push in on the ear pieace lightly and do not hear a increase in low end

9:36 Thought something was wrong with my headphones

I've had this IEM for about a year and I absolutely love it. Obviously, I don't expect you to tell me something I don't already know at this point, but your videos are always entertaining and I always find your takes interesting. To me it's a bit strange that you see the IER as similar to the Audeze over-ears. To me they are closer to the HE1000se. I don't find them dark as the LCDs, but rather clear and natural above all else. When I first listened to them, the thing that stood out and impressed me the most was the treble. It was just the most naturally sounding treble I had heard at that point, regardless of form factor. The soundstange is also something I found impressive. Then again, I thought the same about the HE1000se and you also said that one has weak soundstanging ability, so I guess we all hear slightly differently, but at least it seems to be consistent. As a last point, regarding fit: it looks like you're large final tips with it, so like you mentioned, you're not going to get a lot of contact with your ear because the fit is pretty shallow. While I can easily get a seal with large tips, the comfort isn't there, and when there's no comfort, the sound quality doesn't matter anymore. The breakthrough was when I manages to push them in deeper, to the point where the housing would make contact with my ear over large areas. In order to do this I had to pick the smallest sony tips (they are shorter when mounted than the finals, and that's important) that would still allow me to get a seal. The ear was a bit sore for the first couple of weeks, but adapted and now I sometimes forget I have them in. Alright, great video again, doesn't completely mirror my own impressions of the headphone, but I'm glad my previous _perlage_ comment made it in. :-)

please review 64 audio u12t josh. thanks

Incoming Susvara review pls..

Please review Shure kse1500 ☺️☺️

The super tweeter likely just exists to expand the frequency response to the claimed 100,000 Hz.

Yeah, this IEM takes some work to get it fitting right- but currently, it is my fave. I don't think I've ever heard bass this good on any headphone

I noticed the AGV helmet there josh! What do you ride? 😁

Wohaaa!!! That giant wide ass softbox!

hows the bass compered to the se846

Good & fair review, thank you.. I kind of agree with most of your points & impressions.. I demo'ed IER-Z1R last year using WM1Z & DMP-Z1 and wasn't that impressed at all.. But I was quite surprised why so many people/reviewers said it's such an outstanding IEM in terms of SQ, soundstage, separation, etc.. To me, the most I'd give it 8/10..

Spot on! Thank you for the review 😊

And now it's time to do some speaker reviews again

Sir, Which is best for me from Sony IER-Z1R or Sony MDR-Z1R if i like bass, specially sub bass(low bass)...?

1,900 IEM or 2080 TI XD decision decision

I think it has a fun sound signature. The sound could be more balanced.

Has anyone heard qdc’s anole vx?

weird, have read countless reviews of the superb soundstage but you're saying its not very good. you should say how you have driven the iem in your testing.

Great review! You were so thorough that I can really imagine how smooth these earphones are. Have you heard Shure SE846? You want to review them?

great review.

How do these compare to Moondrop Blessing 2 ?

Long awaited

Japanese audiophiles always take it to the next level. It's interesting to see Sony experiment with such stuff.

The fact that you state “it doesn’t make any sense I’m comparing this to over ear headphones,” You have yet to sit down with something that is truly special. If you can, get to audition the Anole VX I gave up on IEM last year, after about 35 of them they were exactly what you stated i.e.Ms, but once I’ve picked up the VX, I realised there is no distinction between the two, these are truly over ear headphones I don’t think I have been surprised as much as this in the last 16 years of high-end headphones and speakers What the VX does is insanity, it makes you realise that I EM can be just as good if not exponentially better than the over ear headphones of the same price category. But I do warn you, they are 2.5 KLOL so start saving them pennies 🤩 See you on your next review

i love how there are a pair of 4k diana's lying around in the background!!!!

Please try jh audio iems like 13v2 pro or 16v2 pro and shure se 815. I really want to watch a good review on them make it please nobody has a good review on youtube

Bro review tin t2 plus

Thank you for sharing, I am KZfaqr from Vietnam.

The best sounded iem out there 🔥🔥

Dang need to try these irl

All Sony IEM's I ever had the over ear part is completely moldable. Just bend it to the shape you want. If this does away with that function, then indeed it is bad...

No link to unboxing, you dont say how many Oms it needs, could you have bent the wire that goes over the ear to see if it can conform to your ear? Stopped at 03:36, Im good, good luck

Anyone know how I could get hold of a pair of these in the UK?

Josh, you should try the ER2's, they're endgame I'm telling ya

I can't put my finger on why but I find I am strangely drawn to Sony products. These are dangerously tempting.

i ! hello from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, for super tweter i think it's for hi-res audio ? yes? No? Thanks for your test man! :) peace ! +

people never say earphones idk why

@Joshua Valour For IEMs you’ve done: -Sennheiser IE900 & -Sony IER Z1R Could you please do: -Thiemonarch MKII & -UE 11 Pro

the more components you put into a set of IEM, they higher the failure rate of the monitor........

I got very lucky to find a well-paying job and I think I might be able to save for these. No more wallowing in mid-fi hell, picking things that are "pretty good" or only great at one thing

How does it compare to Chu? (I’m joking)

JV Reivews: Its not a big soundstage ..... but it sounds grand and huge..... lol

Okay i’ll just get the Sony Wf1000-xm3

For $2000 it better not have any negatives. Better yet I could/would not ever think of buying $2000 iem, perfect or not!

So the next thing needs to be IER-M9

Tin2 for rich people. Also it would match perfectly with the SHA900. just saying guys. Also replace that cable asap everyone with a different cable, literally everyone on reddit complaining about it loved it with a different cable. Also don't you guys hate it when your audio quality is so good it makes the track seem bad when you don't have good audio

Ear hooks are for being aesthetic and hide the cable, not for pulling the IEM and support the weight, which makes 0 sense, as it should be firmly fitted into your ear, and not “suspended” or anything

Can someone explain to me why tf they almost 2000 thousand dollars

An amp, enhances bass response. Yeah, how?

Joshua Valour

What does he mean by S’s? Pardon my ignorance

Just Bet the Blon 3's lol

it's weird that they dropped the ball so badly on fit.

I feel you did not review them as audiophile earbuds... These are all about AMAZING sound..... Nothing else!!

Aphex Twin- Ventolin

Sultan

They are sold out everywhere

Bet it won't stay in my ears?😄

Not z1r worthy ears, too small XD

Sometimes someone love this sound because it's "rich" or "deluxe" ,but it's far from high fidelity. The charm of this is from huge amount of added showy accompanying sound.

For rich people that have to much money :p

Fit is atrocious, I can't use it for more than 20 mins

This comment is just to help your channel

Sounds just as good from an iPhone with dongle. This guy is just a wannabe audiophile. He has no clue what he's saying lmao.