DEEP AND POWERFUL |bass heard “the way the artists intend”, as Sony puts it, is the hallmark of the MDR-Z7 |over-ear headphones, which use a technology called High-Resolution Audio.
The technology does an amazing job of reproducing the full frequency of sound, from deep-in-the-canyon 4Hz to the Mount Everest of pitch at 100kHz, picking up even the subtlest nuances.
Giant 70mm HD drivers and Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragms housed in a full-metal design combine to deliver music of a quality five times better than what you get from a compact disc.
The Z7 is one of Sony’s “elite models”, made in Japan using premium components that, within the excellent design, achieve remarkably high sensitivity.
The aluminium-coated diaphragm allows for a more “precise” sound across the entire frequency range than a conventional LCP driver, Sony says. It says 70mm drivers, being much larger than the usual 40mm drivers, create a flatter plane-wave effect that prevents reflection delays and sound loss.
The headphones’ soft-leather pads enfold the ears to seal in the sound and keep out distracting noise. Acoustic sound is reflected back into the ears, so you hear even the slightest elements. Despite the large drivers, the headphones are lightweight and comfortable to wear. I wore them for four hours and never felt any discomfort.
The all-metal design gives the Z7 look an elegant look while at the same time reducing resonance better than conventional materials. You can enjoy clearer mid-tones and highs and the low-frequency sound feels smoother.
Added durability comes from the metal hanger sleeve, shaft and components. Added comfort comes from the fact that the metal headband is lighter and more flexible – and yet still stronger than conventional materials.
While testing the headphones I had to admire the excellent design, which allowed no noise to interfere with the music. There was no “cracking” sound when I turned my head or walked around, as is often heard when wearing other brands and models. The over-ear design really lends a sense of solitude and enhances the listening experience.
Part of the Z7’s magic stems from the “balanced” audio cable, which means that the cable is separated, left and right, for the respective ear cups. Inside each are four silver-coated copper wires and independent ground wires for both channels, which helps ensure the delivery of crisp and precise sound.
The Z7’s sound quality can be further enhanced with higher-quality cables sold separately. MUC-B20 cables cost another Bt7,990, but they boost the quality noticeably higher.
To get the most out of the Hi-Resolution Audio technology, the headphones are only part of the story. You should consider also purchasing a Hi-Res Audio player and matching files, which come in several formats. One popular format is FLAC 192kHz/24-bit, which has about five times the resolution of compact discs encoded at 44.1kHz and 16-bit sampling. At 192kHz and 24-bit sampling, you’re very close to the quality of the original recording in the studio, and that’s what Sony means when it says you hear the music the way the players intended it to be heard.
I tested the Z7 with Sony’s NW-A25 Hi-Res Audio Walkman player and FLAC 192kHz/24-bit music files that Sony provided. The reproduction was astounding, with huge bass and meticulous detail in the instrumentation.
I’d never heard the Eagles’ “Hotel California” in quite the same way, with Tim Schmit’s bass standing out between the rhythm and lead guitars and Don Henley’s bass drum and cymbals matching his voice in clarity and evocativeness.
The same was true while listening to “Blue Rondo a la Turk” by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, with fine detail in the piano and saxophone and rolling rhythm from the deep cello and drums. All the instruments could be discerned so clearly that I felt I was hearing the track for the first time – or sitting in the studio with Brubeck.
The MDR-Z7 retails for Bt23,990.
Key Specs
– Design: Headband, over-ear
– Drivers: 70mm dynamic dome type
– Magnet: Neodymium
– Frequency response: Four to 100,000Hz
– Sensitivity: 102dB/mW
– Impedance: 70 ohms (1kHz)
– Cord: Two-metre detachable Y-type (balanced-connection)
– Weight: 335g
This source first appeared on The Nation Life.