[Whitigir]

   
Have you tried the Z5 with any other headphones at the moment?  We're all anxious to hear about the sound quality compared to other phones you've used?
 
People often make the mistake that 4 is better than 3.  However the BT 4.0 and 4.1 standards were specifically developed for wearable devices /  internet of things, and wouldn't make any difference to the sound compared to BT 3.0.
 
If you are after the best available sound quality over Bluetooth you're in luck because the Z5 has LDAC - the highest spec BT codec available.  If I were you I would strongly consider the MDR-1ABT - Sony's flagship BT cans and the only headphones with LDAC support in existence today.  They also have AptX and SBC, of course, so you can use them with any BT device.

Well said, and is exactly what it is
 

  I wasnt clear enough in my last post. I got the z5 compact model, not the z5. I have been listening to hq streaming through spotify with a pair of sony mdr-1a and sennheiser hd 598 headphones for a couple of hours. The only phone that i can compare the z5 with is an iphone 5 and the sound is so much bigger and more spacious in the z5 in all aspects even with clearaudio+ turned off. When its turned on it rules, the voices gets centered with all instruments well positioned in space. I think i get enough volume in my ears, if it would produce more, i would probably become deaf in the near future.
 
The camera is very very good with a very very good autofocus. I do find the fingerprint sensor a little bit to sensitive for my big fingers, resulting in alot of opening failures. I bought sonys orignal case and it makes the phone look more expensive. One problem i have is that the protective lid easily gets in the way when im trying to put my finger on the sensor button. The battery is a clear winner and it last for two days, as they promise. The reason i choosed the compact and not the z5 is the size of it, i want it to fit in my palm, and that it does. Even my doughter is impressed by the phone and she takes alot of photos and listens to alot of music, she own an iphone 6, by the way. 
 
I want BT 4.1 because it seems to demand less power and by that the battery will last much longer. Sounds like music to my ears

 I​ think this is just the same sound quality as the Z3.  There is nothing changed within it Audio circuitry lay out, design, components.  However, it does have LDAC for bluetooth

 

[elektron]

  has anyone tested the LDAC vs aptx?
I have the 1RBT mark2 and I cannot ascertain whether the in-built amp or the bluetooth protocol is the weaker link

 
Do you hear much difference between the wireless and wired sound on these?  If not, then neither is the weakest link.
 
I have the same headphones and would say that they sound pretty damn good with AptX, although I wish it had more sub-bass.  The bass is a bit fuller and goes slightly lower when plugged in but that's about it.
 
I have been interested in the same LDAC vs AptX question for months but haven't been able to find any comparisons.  In theory, LDAC should sound closer to the wired sound.

 

[elektron]

   
Have you tried the Z5 with any other headphones at the moment?  We're all anxious to hear about the sound quality compared to other phones you've used?
 
People often make the mistake that 4 is better than 3.  However the BT 4.0 and 4.1 standards were specifically developed for wearable devices /  internet of things, and wouldn't make any difference to the sound compared to BT 3.0.
 
If you are after the best available sound quality over Bluetooth you're in luck because the Z5 has LDAC - the highest spec BT codec available.  If I were you I would strongly consider the MDR-1ABT - Sony's flagship BT cans and the only headphones with LDAC support in existence today.  They also have AptX and SBC, of course, so you can use them with any BT device.

 
Thanks for sharing the impressions.
 
In terms of the battery, I'm not aware of any high-end BT headphones, including those with 4.0, that offer more than the 30 hours of the MDR-1ABT.  Is that still not enough for you?

 

[Whitigir]

LDAC should sound better than wired sound...depend on the wires quality . LDAC was advertised to stay the purest and fullest in data form. But this is not a problem....it is more like the amplifier which decode this codec and convert it into analog quality.

There is no high-end Bluetooth that utilize this technology to the max yet.

You know ? mdR-R10 is the legendary headphones ? Now ask Sony to put it ZX2 amp on it, and a Bluetooth receiver....now we are talking high-end wireless

 

[jagwap]

LDAC should sound better than wired sound...depend on the wires quality . LDAC was advertised to stay the purest and fullest in data form. But this is not a problem....it is more like the amplifier which decode this codec and convert it into analog quality.

There is no high-end Bluetooth that utilize this technology to the max yet.

You know ? mdR-R10 is the legendary headphones ? Now ask Sony to put it ZX2 amp on it, and a Bluetooth receiver....now we are talking high-end wireless

LDAC is probably advanced in its compression techniques, but it is still a lossy format. Bluetooth was not designed for high quality audio, it was designed for low power gsm voice quality. At best it can manage 320kb/s,but that is unlikely. I would trust lossless up a wire first, unless the DAC & amp are truly awful.

 

[soor]

Well, next model would probably be using a smaller battery and become a little bit lighter than MDR-1ABT. But im intresting in buying cordless In-ear headphones and thats where it become intresting with BT 4.1 that dosnt require so much power.

 

[Shubham Bassist]

How are the MDR 1R and its brothers in terms of sound?

 

[elektron]

Bluetooth was not designed for high quality audio, it was designed for low power gsm voice quality. At best it can manage 320kb/s,but that is unlikely. 

 
What is your source for this?  The Bluetooth used today is not your parents' Bluetooth from the early 90s.  It is possible to transmit lossless audio over Bluetooth, and LDAC can transmit up to 990 kbps.

 

[elektron]

  Well, next model would probably be using a smaller battery and become a little bit lighter than MDR-1ABT. But im intresting in buying cordless In-ear headphones and thats where it become intresting with BT 4.1 that dosnt require so much power.

 
Yes, the MDR-1ABT are "heavy" because of the huge battery! 

 
Let's see.  The MDR-1A weigh 240g.  The MDR-1ABT weigh 279g, i.e. 39g that account for the amp, BT module, sensors / controls, internal cabling, damping (to compensate for the impact of the electronics on the frequency response) and the battery.
 
Now let's take the worst case scenario and assume that the battery weighs 20g, or more than half of that extra weight.  By how much do you think the allegedly slightly more efficient power consumption will reduce the weight?  3 grams?  5?
 
Wrong.  How about zero?
 
Why? Because Bluetooth 4.1 makes zero difference to power consumption (or any other aspect) of BT headphones.
 
The job of Bluetooth 4.1 is to drive the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT, namely the thousands of smart, web connected devices – from fridges to toothbrushes – that are expected to enter our lives over the next decade. This includes smartwatches, a continuing topic of interest among manufacturers and tech enthusiasts.
 
The BT 4.1 standard has been available for almost 2 yeas, and yet the only headphones advertising BT 4.1 are Chinese budget brands.  Have you wondered about that?  Have you heard of such brands as Aukey, Jarv Joggers, Roman?  No?  I doubt you would be thrilled with their battery life (or audio quality for that matter).  At the same time, Sony offers the industry leading 30 hours with BT 3.0, but will probably be forced to upgrade eventually to keep up with the 'spec war'.
 
I'll say it again - the only reason mainstream manufacturers will implement BT 4.1 in headphones is because uneducated consumers make their buying decisions based on specs and numbers (4.1 must be better than 4.0 and way better than 3.0!).  So don't worry about the BT version unless you're planning to connect your headphones to a smart fridge. 

 

 

 

[elektron]

  How are the MDR 1R and its brothers in terms of sound?

 
The MDR-1A (the current version) is very good.  I suggest you check out the relevant thread - all 99 pages of it. 

 
 
soor has one and has tested it with the Z5, so can answer this question better than I can.

 

[soor]

electron: At trusted reviews they point out a number of benefits from using BT 4.1 and not 4.0 and the main issue is to avoid battery drain.
 
http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/bluetooth-4-1-what-is-it-and-why-should-you-care

 

[elektron]

  electron: At trusted reviews they point out a number of benefits from using BT 4.1 and not 4.0 and the main issue is to avoid battery drain.
 
http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/bluetooth-4-1-what-is-it-and-why-should-you-care

 
I give up...

 

[James Bond]

MDR 1As actually look sexy.
I want to try them!
BTW the page says it has S-Master AMP.
So i can use it with any device. right?

 

[SeeSax]

I guess I'm going to order the Z5C as well since the prices are pretty good here in the US on eBay ($591 currently). I'll test it against my S6 Edge, iPhone 6s and whatever else I can dig out of the drawer, but I'm not up to the audiophile level to provide anything useful
 
-Collin-

 

[Whitigir]

MDR 1As actually look sexy.
I want to try them!
BTW the page says it has S-Master AMP.
So i can use it with any device. right?

Mdr-1A has no S-master amp...unless you are talking about MDR 1A BT, then yes.