Sony IER Z1R VS Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Sony IER Z1R and Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 use 2DD+1BA and 6BA driver setups respectively. Sony IER Z1R costs $1,700 while Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 costs $1,500. Sony IER Z1R is $200 more expensive. Sony IER Z1R holds a decisive 3.2-point edge in reviewer scores (8.2 vs 5).

Insights

Metric Sony IER Z1R Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3
Bass 9.5 5
Mids 6.8 5
Treble 7.8 5
Details 7.4 5
Soundstage 8 5
Imaging 8.6 5
Dynamics 7.3 5
Tonality 8.1 4
Technicalities 8.2 6.5

Sony IER Z1R Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Smirk Audio Precogvision Shuwa-T Tim Tuned
Crin Nymz
Super* Review Jays Audio

Average Reviewer Score:

8.2

Very Positive


Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Crin

Average Reviewer Score:

5

Mixed to Negative


Reviews Comparison

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Crin

Crin 8 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S- Tech
Extended yet natural treble, realistic sub-bass focus and spacious imaging capabilities.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 reviewed by Crin

Crin 5 Reviewer Score
C- Tuning
B+ Tech
Perceived more neutrally compared to the Gen 2; less emotional, more boring.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Sony IER Z1R (more reviews)

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 9* * score normalized

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 9 Reviewer Score
S Tuning
S Tech
Best of the best in most areas, but vocals and mids can be thin due to fit issues. Insane bass texture/detail and HUGE soundstage. One of the best trebles I've heard.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Nymz

Nymz 8 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A+ Tech
Recessed mids I can't approved but best bass tactility I've heard. One of the best stage I've heard. Top of the class treble. Fit is a massive problem for most - one of those that needs to be demoed before pressing checkout.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

Bass: S+ Mids: B Treble: A+ Details: A- Imaging: S

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Smirk Audio

Smirk Audio 7.9 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A Tech
Visceral, hard-hitting bass, sparkly treble, and a large, spherical soundstage with impressive height. Fit may pose a challenge for many. Cons: Poor fit.

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

Bass: S Mids: A Treble: A+ Dynamics: A Details: A- Imaging: S-

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 7.9 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A Tech
Top-tier bass, treble, and soundstage height and width. I don't approve of the midrange these days.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: S+ Mids: B Treble: A+ Dynamics: A- Details: A- Imaging: S

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Shuwa-T

Shuwa-T 7.9 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
Fun sounding without going overboard with the subbass, organic timbre The fit is atrocious, treble can get spicy on hi-hats

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

Bass: S- Mids: A Treble: A- Soundstage: A+ Details: S- Imaging: A+

Sony IER Z1R reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 7.5 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
Incredible extensions on both ends Lower midrange

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Bass: S+ Mids: A- Treble: A+

Sony IER Z1R User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Sony IER Z1R Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6.6

Gaming Grade

B+

Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

4.8

Gaming Grade

C

Sony IER Z1R Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • Refined execution with coherent frequency integration. Natural timbre reproduction and engaging presentation. Strong versatility.

Average Technical Grade

A+
  • Very competent with articulate presentation. Well-defined layers and precise imaging. Soundstage is immersive and handles dynamics well.
Bass S
World-class bass performance. Perfectly balanced between visceral impact, texture, and depth with zero bleed into mids.
Mids B+
Good midrange presence with solid clarity. Vocals are clear and instruments have reasonable texture and body.
Treble A
Excellent treble: airy, extended and well-controlled. Great micro-detail retrieval without sibilance or harshness.
Dynamics A-
Excellent dynamics with great contrast and speed. Transients are crisp and micro-details are clearly articulated.
Soundstage A+
Exceptional soundstage with holographic imaging. Creates a truly three-dimensional space where instruments float naturally around you.
Details A-
Excellent detail retrieval: highly resolving without being clinical. Effortlessly reveals micro-details and textural subtleties.
Imaging S-
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision. Creates a palpable sense of physical placement with perfect positional stability.
Gaming B+
Respectable environmental presentation favors atmosphere over precision. Detects obvious directional cues while conveying game world ambiance. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

C-
  • Significantly flawed tuning. Noticeable frequency imbalances and unnatural timbre distract from music. Lacks versatility across recordings.

Average Technical Grade

B+
  • Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
Gaming C
Minimal environmental definition provides only general audio cues. Suitable for games where positioning isn't critical. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Sony IER Z1R User Reviews

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Ultimate Ears UE18+ Pro Gen 3 User Reviews

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