[Ascariss]

So it seems that the X is gone from most european sony websites, except germany which has the a special edition model at 16gb and a ridiculous price.

It is interesting to see if sony decides to release a successor in the fall.

 

[Ascariss]

well my X finally arrived

and I just tested it, sounds bliss, poor A818 is now being out aside, not retired, just aside.

 

[kwang411]

I have just returned my S9.
After playing extensively with the S9 EQ, I've gotten it pretty close to my X1060 (X has everything set to off), but something just still doesn't sound right. The vocals are still a tad recessed and the overall music sounds too thin, and is pretty fatiguing to my ears after a bit of listening.

After switching back to the X, ahhhh the richness and naturalness are back!

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwang411 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have just returned my S9. After playing extensively with the S9 EQ, I've gotten it pretty close to my X1060 (X has everything set to off), but something just still doesn't sound right. The vocals are still a tad recessed and the overall music sounds too thin, and is pretty fatiguing to my ears after a bit of listening.

Yes, I always felt the S9 vocals were too recessed, especially in comparison with the X. And although I could EQ the S9 to sound pretty good, I could never get the vocals to come forwards quite enough.

Quote:

After switching back to the X, ahhhh the richness and naturalness are back!

That's exactly how I felt when I went back to the X after listening to the S9 for two weeks

 

[kwang411]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, I always felt the S9 vocals were too recessed, especially in comparison with the X. And although I could EQ the S9 to sound pretty good, I could never get the vocals to come forwards quite enough. That's exactly how I felt when I went back to the X after listening to the S9 for two weeks

It's a shame, because i really liked everything else about the S9: the barely noticeable hiss, fast file transfer, AMOLED screen, customizable GUI, etc.

I really tried to hypnotize myself to like its sound... but afterall the X's sound quality is just unbeatable

 

[oyster]

Hey KWANG411
How would you compare ur x1060 to sony a726. Is the x 1060 cleaner & wider sounding than the a726. I've been using a726 & touch3g but the touch is way cleaner than the sony although the mids are much better/taller/roomy on sony. Also are the upper highs on the x1060 rolled off as a726 & the overall highs, are they smoother and detailed than a726? Hmmm....... what about the bass, how does it compare?
I m really looking frwrd to the X, hope it sounds much better than the a726.

 

[seekadds]

ok this may be a stupid question, but i've been searching for the answer for ages and can't find it. what is the difference between the x1050 vs the x1051? x1060 vs x1061?

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seekadds /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok this may be a stupid question, but i've been searching for the answer for ages and can't find it. what is the difference between the x1050 vs the x1051? x1060 vs x1061?

X1050 nad x106 0are EU models while X1051 and x10601 are US models.

 

[lgm1]

Count me in as a new owner of the X1061. I was debating on whether to buy a quality portable amp for my unamped 5.5g iPod 80gb or get a new player to improve SQ, but ultimately decided I didn't want to carry around anything but a DAP.

I was patiently waiting for a Sony S-master amp 64gb option, but I could wait no longer and decided for portable use I can always switch out albums over time and 32gb should provide enough music choices for any one day (or week for that matter). At least that's the plan.

I haven't had a chance to listen to the X for more than a few hours, but my initial reaction out of the box is that I made a very good decision. The SQ is a clear and significant improvement over my stock 80gb iPod (Triple.fi 10's are my primary IEM's and I never felt I was getting the most out them for portable use (I also own Denon C-751s)).

The X looks sharp, and its construction looks and feels solid and sturdy. It's comfortable in my hand. I really like the volume buttons on the side and the play/pause, track backward/forward buttons on the top. Very convenient.

The touch-screen has a quick response time and is easy to navigate, but it is also clearly a fingerprint magnet.

WAV album art is showing up with no issues (I rip CD's and also transferred with WMP 12). However, transfer time is relatively slow (if I'm going to change my albums a lot, overnight sync will be the only way to go).

I like the look of the official Sony leather case, but it doesn't seem to be sold in the US. Maybe I'll look at other brand cases like Tuff-luv or alu-leather.

I'll likely post further listening-specific impressions and comparisons after I listen to the X a bit longer; but, on first listen, I am very happy with the SQ:

I first listened to the song "The Next Messiah" from the album Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis. The bass was dynamic and deep. My head was nodding, my foot was tapping, and I found myself fully immersed in the music.

Next up were covers of Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" and Hank Williams' "Weary Blues From Waitin'" by Madeleine Peyroux on the album Careless Love. Her unique and distinctive voice: lovely, intimate and haunting, shines through with detail, precision, and sweetness.

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" from the White Stripes' White Blood Cells was the next song. The X captured Jack White's aggressive, raw, and powerful amplified guitar combined with the texture of Meg's drums with clarity and strong impact.

"Doo Wop (That Thing) " by Lauryn Hill from the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was up next. I turned up the volume to 14. The bass was deep and powerful. The vocals were precise. I was reminded why I was such a fan of Lauryn Hill in the first place.

Next up was "Over The Rainbow", covered by Eva Cassidy from her album compilation Songbird. I closed my eyes, leaned back in my chair, and listened intently. Her soaring highs were clear and precise, and nothing short of moving. What a beautiful song. What a sad story.

Up next was Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Zero". I was moving my head again to the beat of the song. The bass was deep, dynamic, and powerful. The song builds and builds with beat-filled highs and the X and Triple.fi combination never runs out of steam.

Finally up was "Rich Woman" and "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" from Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. "Rich Woman" is a bluegrass/rock/folk mix full of deep bass, a catchy rhythm, and alternating vocals that blend together seamlessly. "Sister Rosetta" combines Alison Krauss' clear, angelic voice with an eerie and haunting rhythm. I was so caught up in the music I forgot I was listening to it through a portable player. High praise in my mind.

In conclusion, I wanted excellent SQ from a DAP and fast, easy navigation. Other add-on features such as web-browsing, e-mail, etc. were unimportant to me. If it weren't obvious before, it is now: the X is the right DAP for me. This was the first time I listened to music from a portable player that I wasn't left wanting more. The sound quality is top notch and the X has already exceeded my expectations.

Thanks to all the Head-fi members posting in this thread for nudging me in this direction by posting their positive thoughts and experiences with the Sony Walkman X.

 

[cn11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgm1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Count me in as a new owner of the X1061. I was debating on whether to buy a quality portable amp for my unamped 5.5g iPod 80gb or get a new player to improve SQ, but ultimately decided I didn't want to carry around anything but a DAP. I was patiently waiting for a Sony S-master amp 64gb option, but I could wait no longer and decided for portable use I can always switch out albums over time and 32gb should provide enough music choices for any one day (or week for that matter). At least that's the plan. I haven't had a chance to listen to the X for more than a few hours, but my initial reaction out of the box is that I made a very good decision. The SQ is a clear and significant improvement over my stock 80gb iPod (Triple.fi 10's are my primary IEM's and I never felt I was getting the most out them for portable use (I also own Denon C-751s)). The X looks sharp, and its construction looks and feels solid and sturdy. It's comfortable in my hand. I really like the volume buttons on the side and the play/pause, track backward/forward buttons on the top. Very convenient. The touch-screen has a quick response time and is easy to navigate, but it is also clearly a fingerprint magnet. WAV album art is showing up with no issues (I rip CD's and also transferred with WMP 12). However, transfer time is relatively slow (if I'm going to change my albums a lot, overnight sync will be the only way to go). I like the look of the official Sony leather case, but it doesn't seem to be sold in the US. Maybe I'll look at other brand cases like Tuff-luv or alu-leather. I'll likely post further listening-specific impressions and comparisons after I listen to the X a bit longer; but, on first listen, I am very happy with the SQ: I first listened to the song "The Next Messiah" from the album Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis. The bass was dynamic and deep. My head was nodding, my foot was tapping, and I found myself fully immersed in the music. Next up were covers of Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" and Hank Williams' "Weary Blues From Waitin'" by Madeleine Peyroux on the album Careless Love. Her unique and distinctive voice: lovely, intimate and haunting, shines through with detail, precision, and sweetness. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" from the White Stripes' White Blood Cells was the next song. The X captured Jack White's aggressive, raw, and powerful amplified guitar combined with the texture of Meg's drums with clarity and strong impact. "Doo Wop (That Thing) " by Lauryn Hill from the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was up next. I turned up the volume to 14. The bass was deep and powerful. The vocals were precise. I was reminded why I was such a fan of Lauryn Hill in the first place. Next up was "Over The Rainbow", covered by Eva Cassidy from her album compilation Songbird. I closed my eyes, leaned back in my chair, and listened intently. Her soaring highs were clear and precise, and nothing short of moving. What a beautiful song. What a sad story. Up next was Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Zero". I was moving my head again to the beat of the song. The bass was deep, dynamic, and powerful. The song builds and builds with beat-filled highs and the X and Triple.fi combination never runs out of steam. Finally up was "Rich Woman" and "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" from Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. "Rich Woman" is a bluegrass/rock/folk mix full of deep bass, a catchy rhythm, and alternating vocals that blend together seamlessly. "Sister Rosetta" combines Alison Krauss' clear, angelic voice with an eerie and haunting rhythm. I was so caught up in the music I forgot I was listening to it through a portable player. High praise in my mind. In conclusion, I wanted excellent SQ from a DAP and fast, easy navigation. Other add-on features such as web-browsing, e-mail, etc. were unimportant to me. If it weren't obvious before, it is now: the X is the right DAP for me. This was the first time I listened to music from a portable player that I wasn't left wanting more. The sound quality is top notch and the X has already exceeded my expectations. Thanks to all the Head-fi members posting in this thread for nudging me in this direction by posting their positive thoughts and experiences with the Sony Walkman X.

Congrats on picking up the X... and I'm glad you're enjoying the SQ. That's the main reason most seem to have bought it, in spite of the well documented woeful 'web browsing' experience.

I've enjoyed the White Stripes sound on the X many times myself, and love how the full sound signature brings out the best of their raw sound.

I hope you keep enjoying the X for a long time. It'll take a great DAP to surpass it.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgm1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Finally up was "Rich Woman" and "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" from Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. "Rich Woman" is a bluegrass/rock/folk mix full of deep bass, a catchy rhythm, and alternating vocals that blend together seamlessly. "Sister Rosetta" combines Alison Krauss' clear, angelic voice with an eerie and haunting rhythm. I was so caught up in the music I forgot I was listening to it through a portable player. High praise in my mind.

Great review! And 'Sister Rosetta' is a great song. The X really does justice to Krauss's vocals. When I had the S9, her voice didn't sound as crystal clear at all. The manic violins from that track sound amazing on the X.

Quote:

If it weren't obvious before, it is now: the X is the right DAP for me. This was the first time I listened to music from a portable player that I wasn't left wanting more. The sound quality is top notch and the X has already exceeded my expectations.

Yes, it's truly a great dap. It would have been nice to have had some other basic feature like on-the-fly playlists and gapless, but that's Sony for you! At least the sound quality makes you forget all that once you're listening to it

Anyway, good to know you're loving the X as much as the rest of us.

 

[lgm1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats on picking up the X... and I'm glad you're enjoying the SQ. That's the main reason most seem to have bought it, in spite of the well documented woeful 'web browsing' experience. I've enjoyed the White Stripes sound on the X many times myself, and love how the full sound signature brings out the best of their raw sound. I hope you keep enjoying the X for a long time. It'll take a great DAP to surpass it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great review! And 'Sister Rosetta' is a great song. The X really does justice to Krauss's vocals. When I had the S9, her voice didn't sound as crystal clear at all. The manic violins from that track sound amazing on the X. Yes, it's truly a great dap. It would have been nice to have had some other basic feature like on-the-fly playlists and gapless, but that's Sony for you! At least the sound quality makes you forget all that once you're listening to it Anyway, good to know you're loving the X as much as the rest of us.

Thank you both for the kind words.

I agree that on-the-fly playlists and gapless playback for lossy files would be nice features (as would FLAC or WMA lossless support), but the S-Master amp SQ more than makes up for it. I doubt I will ever try the web-browser.

I also really enjoyed both the raw sound of The White Stripes and Alison Krauss' beautiful voice on the X. I am excited to hear more songs/albums I know well from different kinds of artists from various genres.

Next up on the listening agenda is Radiohead - Kid A and In Rainbows, The Strokes - Is This It, Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, The Cure - Galore, Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne, Stevie Wonder - Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life, Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1, Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue and 'Round About Midnight, Diana Krall - Live in Paris, The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section, Getz/Gilberto, Stevie Ray Vaughan - Greatest Hits, and B.B. King - Original Greatest Hits.

 

[tds101]

I'm gonna have to get an X Series player myself, and too bad I missed the Walmart special. Another few days and I'll have 1, and I guess I'll be settling for 32gb,...........though I'm dieing for the 64gb goodness only Sony can provide!!!

 

[kwang411]

hey sorry for the late reply
X1060 is definitely an improvement over a728, but the improvement is pretty subtle: Slight increase in soundstage, slightly more treble presence, less bass.

A728 is bassy and really warm i find, which is the primary reason why i chose to get the x.
X1060 isnt as clear or transparent as IPT, but it sounds very rich and lush and organic. It's just non fatiguing.

The improvements may be rather subtle, but for people like us it's the subtle differences that count, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by oyster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey KWANG411 How would you compare ur x1060 to sony a726. Is the x 1060 cleaner & wider sounding than the a726. I've been using a726 & touch3g but the touch is way cleaner than the sony although the mids are much better/taller/roomy on sony. Also are the upper highs on the x1060 rolled off as a726 & the overall highs, are they smoother and detailed than a726? Hmmm....... what about the bass, how does it compare? I m really looking frwrd to the X, hope it sounds much better than the a726.

 

[Ascariss]

funny how people are opting for the X, when perhaps something better is around the corner?