CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 12:52:57 PM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 [3]

Author Topic: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?  (Read 832 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

purk

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +4/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 21
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #20 on: April 05, 2015, 08:46:02 AM »
If you have the budget, I highly recommended the PHA-3.  You can connect the ZX-1 to PHA3 using a supplied digital cable.   Basically the ZX1 will act as a transport sending digital signal to the PHA3.  The PHA3 is not exactly portable but it sounds really good especially in balanced mode.  However, it may not be suitable for hard to drive phones such as the HD800.  It mates quite well with the MDR-Z7 as well as my recabled CD3000 however.
Logged

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2015, 02:04:24 PM »
Quote from: purk on April 05, 2015, 08:46:02 AM
If you have the budget, I highly recommended the PHA-3.  You can connect the ZX-1 to PHA3 using a supplied digital cable.   Basically the ZX1 will act as a transport sending digital signal to the PHA3.  The PHA3 is not exactly portable but it sounds really good especially in balanced mode.  However, it may not be suitable for hard to drive phones such as the HD800.  It mates quite well with the MDR-Z7 as well as my recabled CD3000 however.

I can say in no uncertain terms the pha3 sucks donkey balls in SE mode with the UERM. The Z7 did sound much better via balanced but it's not a reference phone I know well enough to compare versus a known quantity single ended. Sure is pricey as hell for that setup. I certainly wasn't blown away even disregarding price.

Might as well share the story of how a Sony rep/sales person tried to stop me plugging in my UERM to the pha3. Said it only works with hi-res phones!! Like he even knew what a UERM or hi res phone was. After a long quizzical stare and picking up my jaw off the floor, I asked the 'rep' if there were any actual Sony engineers around who weren't full of marketing BS to talk to. He said, "maybe somewhere."  facepalm
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #22 on: April 27, 2015, 08:17:31 AM »
Has anyone heard the NW-ZX2?  Is the price justified?
Logged

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #23 on: April 27, 2015, 04:14:59 PM »
Quote from: Hawaiiancerveza on April 27, 2015, 08:17:31 AM
Has anyone heard the NW-ZX2?  Is the price justified?

Based on price? No, my GO>Leckerton beats it up.
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #24 on: April 27, 2015, 08:00:51 PM »
Yeah, I was reading through some of the reviews on amazon and this guy came up.  Steven R. Rochlin, heard of him?  Heres his review.  He hated the Z1 but loves the Z2.  I haven't heard either so I figure I'd ask. 

Steven R. Rochlin
www.EnjoyTheMusic.com/magazine/equipment/0315/Astell_Kern_AK240_Vs_Sony_NW_ZX2_Walkman_Review.htm

Heres his review on the Z1
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1214/Sony_NWZ_ZX1_NWZ_A17_Pono_Music_Player.htm
Logged

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #25 on: April 27, 2015, 08:12:45 PM »
The Z2 is better than the Z1, but that wasn't the original question. So 'what it's worth' is different things to different people. Is it the absolutely best sounding thing in portable audio? No. Is it bestest enough for someone with big pockets that wants an all-in-one? Maybe. The best DAP I've heard that's on my radar is the Questyle which is competitive with rig and does one or two things better. I haven't heard a production unit yet but for the money I'd look there before the Sony, Colorfly or AK rigs.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 03:41:29 AM by Anaxilus »
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #26 on: April 28, 2015, 01:39:12 AM »
The Questyle you mentioned.  Whats the name of the DAP you're talking about?  I'm on this site but haven't found any info on any DAP.  http://en.questyleaudio.com/product

I found this.  Is it the QP1?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/questyle-qp1-and-qp1-pro-portable-players

I found two models:
The QP1 is $599 and the QP1 Pro is $899

Other info I found:

The $599 QP1 and $899 QP1R, described as portable music server/digital audio players, are expected to ship in late April. They combine the company’s current-mode headphone amp technology with a high-end DAC and high-resolution music-file decoding. The players deliver native decoding of 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz DSD along with decoding of WAV, FLAC, AIFF and PCM files up to 192kHz/24 bits. Other decoders include MP3, WMA, and Ogg Vorbis. Both models feature 16GB and 32GB, respectively, of on-board storage, but each also features dual 256GB Micro SD Card slots. Both players also feature optical output, LCD display, 8- to 10-hour 3000mAh battery, and aluminum-and-glass finish in either champagne gold or space gray.- See more at: http://www.twice.com/news/audio/questyle-adding-high-resolution-music-portables/56555#.VRXWc9zazeo.twitter

Is there going to be a pre-order soon? Mid April.... 
« Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 02:04:54 AM by Hawaiiancerveza »
Logged

DGCFAD

  • Pirate-at-Heart
  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +6/-6
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13
Re: Sony Walkman NW-ZX1 any opinions? Which portable amp would work well with it?
« Reply #27 on: June 05, 2015, 11:12:11 PM »
Quote from: Hawaiiancerveza on April 28, 2015, 01:39:12 AM
The Questyle you mentioned.  Whats the name of the DAP you're talking about?  I'm on this site but haven't found any info on any DAP.  http://en.questyleaudio.com/product

I found this.  Is it the QP1?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/questyle-qp1-and-qp1-pro-portable-players

I found two models:
The QP1 is $599 and the QP1 Pro is $899

Other info I found:

The $599 QP1 and $899 QP1R, described as portable music server/digital audio players, are expected to ship in late April. They combine the company’s current-mode headphone amp technology with a high-end DAC and high-resolution music-file decoding. The players deliver native decoding of 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz DSD along with decoding of WAV, FLAC, AIFF and PCM files up to 192kHz/24 bits. Other decoders include MP3, WMA, and Ogg Vorbis. Both models feature 16GB and 32GB, respectively, of on-board storage, but each also features dual 256GB Micro SD Card slots. Both players also feature optical output, LCD display, 8- to 10-hour 3000mAh battery, and aluminum-and-glass finish in either champagne gold or space gray.- See more at: http://www.twice.com/news/audio/questyle-adding-high-resolution-music-portables/56555#.VRXWc9zazeo.twitter

Is there going to be a pre-order soon? Mid April.... 

The QP1 Pro was changed to the QP1R (Reference). We are in the process of switching servers and putting up a new website, the QP1 has only just been added, as up until now it was only a prototype. The QP1 has 16GB internal while the QP1R has 32GB, only 128GB Micro SD cards have been tested, but 256GB cards will probably work. The rest appears to be correct. It is probably worth noting that we process DSD as DSD and PCM as PCM, no cross conversion takes place as to do so would be to add the deficiencies of both systems together.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 [3]
« previous next »