MDR-Z1R
High-Resolution Audio Headphones (2016)
The MDR-Z1R, engineered to deliver the ultimate sound quality, was capable of reproducing super-high 120 kHz sound frequency when it was released back in 2016. To get as close as possible to the immersive experience of listening to live music in a concert hall, we searched for the ideal shape and materials that can achieve this through acoustic design. As a result, an organically curved housing design was employed to reduce unnecessary resonance, along with a dual structure consisting of pulp and mesh to reproduce a natural sound space and breadth of sound. The diaphragm protector, which can be a potential factor masking sound, featured a random Fibonacci sequence pattern and an extremely thin grill made of stiff resin to minimize this effect. With a new design approach inspired by nature and based on the laws of physics, the MDR-Z1R took sound quality to new heights. It is a design born of a pure pursuit of high sound quality.
