blucsigma05 OP t1_j98g138 wrote on February 20, 2023 at 1:24 AM

Reply to comment by JamesBong517 in Favorite Headphone? by blucsigma05

Trust I understand I tried a lot of phones. Finally, just got burnt out and realized I'm always gonna have FOMO. I listen to the noire I did like them, they just didn't sound better than my wife's radiance so I didn't keep them but very good phone at the price. I like the Sony MDR-Z1R, just grappling with the cost a little, but I like the sound and they are extremely comfortable.

JamesBong517 t1_j98gsxr wrote on February 20, 2023 at 1:30 AM

Is the Radiance better than the MDR-Z1R, in your opinion? I do eventually want to get a pair of closed back headphones. Part of me thinks it would make more sense to not have all my headphones the same brand, and the other thinks “if you found what you love, why change it”

But ya, i listen to a lot of like vocal songs and classic rock, opera, pop. I really enjoy the HD 600 and how they are but I know there can be so much more clarity. With knowing that, are the OG Clear a great option? They aren’t v or u shaped tuning are they?

blucsigma05 OP t1_j98ma5c wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:15 AM

My testing Playlist has a ton of genres. I think the radiance are very good. For me I have a weird issue with the cups on the radiance my left ear feels a lot of pressure, no one else I let try them didn't have that issue, I've had it with other closed back it just depends. The mdr-z1r is just a different sound than the focals which i enjoy they are very v shape, but vocals sound great. The radiance are great but to me it just was a redundant sound as focal does have a "house sound" so they feel like Clears with more bass. Mdr-z1r is very warm, didn't really understand that term until I tried them. The noire the mids were just more recessed than the radiance you can easy eq that I just don't do much eqing.

For me the "clear" is emphasized on the Clears more than any headphones I have(besides some iems ive tried). The Clears allowed me to hear so much new detail from songs I've heard a million times. Some don't like the Soundstage of the Clear for open back it's very intimate, but not veiled it's very clear and forward. I don't want to oversell them but I just don't think you can go wrong picking them up. I've never heard the HD 600 but I know they are loved.

JamesBong517 t1_j98neq8 wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:24 AM

Looks like you and everyone sold me on the og clear. So glad I made the post. You also confirmed what I figured— at that price point I’m getting different brands. I want different sounds from my closed back & sometimes (especially with video games and movies) the V shaped is really nice. And when I’m in the mood to put on gangster rap I want that bass. So when I go to buy closed back, I’m first looking at the mdr-z1r. I know it’s expensive, but oh well. I want the clear first, and the much smaller price I can justify it for me getting a new job and it being my first salaried job. Gotta treat myself. The Sony— well we get a yearly bonus and I’ll be able to get them then & have left over money so I won’t feel bad. Figure if we reach our goals I can treat myself as well once a year. Not always headphones, but you get my drift.

blucsigma05 OP t1_j98oapn wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:32 AM

Yup! Worth it, going to use them a lot, so you can justify the cost! Enjoy the journey man! Definitely let me know what you think of those Clears and MDR-Z1R. I'd say try those Noire too for close back. I love rap on my Clears, bass is there when needed and not overdone. It's rap so if the song is supposed to have bass it's there just not exaggerated.

JamesBong517 t1_j98p2zm wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:38 AM

Sounds the HD 600 to me. So many people say there is no bass, but to me, in songs that had it, it was there. Just not bloated or anything? Are you saying to check out the Noire just because it punches above its price point, is it a real contender to the z1r?

blucsigma05 OP t1_j98qrmf wrote on February 20, 2023 at 2:52 AM

I'd say just to have a good reference, the Noire is half the price of mdr-z1r...Mdr-z1r is better to me, is it worth 2x as much compared to the Noire...you have to decide. I think you would prefer the midrange on the Mdr-z1r.

JamesBong517 t1_j98t21v wrote on February 20, 2023 at 3:11 AM

I definitely do not like my midrange muffled or veiled or recessed or whatever the word is. Although closed back is much further down the road & im honestly hoping the Clear will take care of my upgrade-itis for the foreseeable years. I’ll probably get the ADI-2 after the Clear, just because I feel like if I have headphones that are $1500, a $110 DAC just isn’t doing it justice. Plus the ADI-2 has an input for XLR for headphones, and it has XLR output for studio monitors, which I plan on getting. It also has built in EQ, which saves me from buying an external EQ.