Sony Expands Signature Series

Sony today announced the IER-Z1R in-ear headphones and DMP-Z1 digital music player, a new line of exquisite audio products that expand its Signature Series. These products harness decades of audio expertise, proudly showcasing Sony's relentless lifetime pursuit of sound excellence. The Signature Series advances sound to an entirely new realm of audio engagement - taking the experience from listening to feeling it.

One Signature Sound

Committed to audio innovation, Sony has created a range of products in the Signature Series that surpasses everything that came before it. Pursuing sound reproduction to ultimate perfection means being able to distinguish every nuance in the music with live atmosphere - even the natural decay of fading notes to silence. The new line in the Signature Series offers astonishingly faithful sound reproduction that's definitively clear and expressive, where even the subtleties and delicate nuances of micro-sounds and bigger scales at higher dynamics are effectively reproduced.

IER-Z1R Signature Series In-ear Headphones

Delivering exceptional sound quality with High-Resolution Audio

HD hybrid driver system consisting of 5mm dynamic driver, 12mm Magnesium alloy diaphragm dynamic driver and Magnesium alloy diaphragm Balanced Armature (BA) driver

Refined-phase structure for precise image projection

Housing shape designed for comfort and includes pre-formed ear hanger and large variety of ear buds for optimum fit

Zirconium alloy outer housing with Perlage pattern face plate

Meticulously crafted and designed in Japan using superior materials to create an audio masterpiece

Refined sound and superb fit

Delivering an immersive musical experience, the IER-Z1R headphones feature a HD hybrid driver system consisting of three newly developed Sony-designed drivers. As the driver unit's sound, quality and consistency of sound character are critical to a headphone's sound, an advantage of Sony-designed drivers is that it ensures a preservation of consistency in sound signature from driver design stage to the finished product.

Using the finest materials

The 5mm dynamic driver is constructed with a newly developed aluminium coated LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) diaphragm and external magnetic circuit allowing it to reproduce the ideal frequency response of up to 100 kHz. Strategically placing the 5mm dynamic driver coaxially against the sound path accurately delivers the sound from the super tweeter directly into a listener's ear canal. A frequency response of up to 100 kHz provides the experience of a live concert hall atmosphere for users anytime, anywhere.

The 12mm dynamic driver's diaphragm features a magnesium alloy dome which is light weight yet highly rigid. The dome's edge is made from aluminium coated LCP which offers flexibility for optimum bass reproduction and high internal loss. These materials work in sync to give listeners fine details and crystal-clear sound.

In addition, the diaphragm of the balanced armature unit for reproducing high range sound is made from magnesium alloy. Working together with a newly developed silver coated copper voice coil and gold-plated terminals, the balanced armature unit can faithfully reproduce sound including the smallest low-level signals.

Perfectly controlled acoustics of the IER-Z1R is achieved by the Refined-phase structure which features a magnesium alloy inner housing that delivers to listeners a natural sound with precise sense of image projection never experienced before. All three drivers; the 5mm dynamic driver, 12mm dynamic driver and balanced armature driver unit are built into the inner housing which works as an optimal sound path. Sound coming from each driver is optimally blended in the sound path which ensures an ideal phase response and clear separation. Magnesium alloy also eliminates unnecessary vibration due to its high rigidity and internal loss.

Advanced sound space control technology was applied to finely control air flow at the rear of the drivers. Ventilation is accurately controlled by connecting an acoustic tube to the extended acoustic cavity behind the driver unit. This unique-to-Sony sound control method reproduces a wide sound stage with rich and natural mid-range, a well-balanced frequency response from low to high frequencies and smooth sound reproduction.

Network designed with high grade parts

Sony's dedicated audio grade film capacitor for crossover network circuits was used in the IER-Z1R delivering a refined sound with low distortion. This film capacitor was developed after numerous listening tests. In addition, a Sony developed dedicated audio grade solder was also used to minimise loss in the signal path.

High sound quality balanced connection

High sound quality balanced connection is achieved with the supplied 5 pole 4.4mm balanced standard cable or the use of optional cables. Silver coated OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) is used in the supplied cable. Sony has evolved the plating structure of the plug and terminal to gold plating over a non-magnetic plated surface core material. This ensures signal flow is not disturbed.

The supplied cable also features natural silk thread that reduces touch noise, also working as an insulator and damper against vibration. Also, the supplied cable features twisted pair wiring, thereby reducing signal transmission loss to preserve the signal purity and achieve accurate high-resolution sound. In addition, optional cable engineered with KIMBER KABLE is also available[1] for another way to enjoy high resolution sound.

Comfort is key

With an accumulated ear shape database collected over decades of research, the IER-Z1R is designed for comfortable yet stable wear via its optimised housing shape, 13 variations of ear buds (six variations of triple comfort ear buds and seven variations of hybrid ear buds) and pr

LINK:	http://presscentre.sony.eu/pressreleases/sony-expands-signature-series...
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