[shuttleboi]

Sony recently announced a bunch of new high-end gear along with a DSD high-resolution download website. 
 
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57601589-47/sony-gets-serious-about-high-resolution-audio-again/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheAudiophiliac
 
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/sony-backs-hi-res-audio-big-time/
 
http://www.whathifi.com/news/sony-launches-high-resolution-audio-product-range-and-hi-res-downloads-site
 
 
 
Here's the gear they introduced. All are available in black or silver.
 
 
UDA-1 USB DAC ($799). It's a desktop-sized (9-inch wide) DSD DAC with headphone amp and a 20 WPC stereo class AB speaker amp. Nice one-box solution. The only similarly-sized units with DAC, headphone amp, and speaker amp that I can think of are the Bel Canto C7R and the Teac A-H01.
 


 
 
HAP-Z1ES music server ($1999). Full-width 17-inch wide component. Can upsample audio to DSD quality. Contains a 1TB HDD. Ethernet and USB HDD inputs only. The "ES" in the name means it's from Sony's flagship line.
 

 

 
 
 
HAP-S1 music server, DAC, and stereo amp ($999). Looks like a cross between the two units. 10-inches wide. Contains a 500GB HDD, USB HDD port, and a 40 WPC stereo speaker amp. Optical and ethernet inputs but no USB audio input.
 
 


 
 
TA-A1ES integrated amp (unknown price). No DAC. Gorgeous minimalism.
 

 

[RAFA]

Do you think the UDA-1 has a serious headphone amp inside, or is it just like one can find un CD-Players?

If yes, to me it looks like a Fostex HP8 competitor.

 

[Zoom25]

Super stoked for HAP-S1. I was looking for something exactly like this. If it sounds decent enough with my LCD-3 either off the jack or directly from the speaker amp, I'll definitely be picking this up. Even without an extra hard drive, the built in 500 GB should still work exceptionally for offline setups or when I don't want to get distracted from computer/online audio. I'm really hoping this product turns out good.

 

[reespa]

Just received my UDA-1 dac from Sony Belgium - seems they have earlier stock than most regions. 
 
I could find no solid review information at all before purchasing so bought it blind as it ticked most boxes for me. Mostly I'll be using with Windows JRiver Media Centre but I'll be interested to see how it performs with 24/192 files from an FIIO X3 coax out. 
 
I've not got anything as hard to drive as LCD-3s but will try with my HD600s and Q701s and a few others over the weekend and report back. 

 

[Rob49]

  Just received my UDA-1 dac from Sony Belgium - seems they have earlier stock than most regions.
 
I could find no solid review information at all before purchasing so bought it blind as it ticked most boxes for me. Mostly I'll be using with Windows JRiver Media Centre but I'll be interested to see how it performs with 24/192 files from an FIIO X3 coax out.
 
I've not got anything as hard to drive as LCD-3s but will try with my HD600s and Q701s and a few others over the weekend and report back.

Really looking forward to your thoughts on this DAC. ( Although, i'm hoping to buy the HAP-S1, wonder if this will be a better option ? )

 

[Spakka]

HAP-S1 looks lovely I just hope the DAC part is good... If it is then it's so mine!
 
I look forwards to your impressions Rob. 

 

[captionjjy]

great.got anything as hard to drive as LCD-3s but will try with my HD600s and Q701s and a few others over the weekend and report back.

 

[Zoom25]

  HAP-S1 looks lovely I just hope the DAC part is good... If it is then it's so mine!
 
I look forwards to your impressions Rob. 

 
Same here. The HAP-S1 should be here in Canadian stores starting January 2014. I'll try to audition as many of these possible and report back. The HAP-S1 still remains on top though. I'll bring LCD-3 to test out the speaker amp section as well as the efficient D2000 for directly off the headphone jack.
 
QUESTION: I see that on the back of the HAP-S1 there are optical and coaxial inputs. Now are these inputs there for direct playback like a standard DAC or only for file transferring material to the hard drive and then play it back once it's on the hard drive ONLY? 

 

[Spakka]

   
Same here. The HAP-S1 should be here in Canadian stores starting January 2014. I'll try to audition as many of these possible and report back. The HAP-S1 still remains on top though. I'll bring LCD-3 to test out the speaker amp section as well as the efficient D2000 for directly off the headphone jack.
 
QUESTION: I see that on the back of the HAP-S1 there are optical and coaxial inputs. Now are these inputs there for direct playback like a standard DAC or only for file transferring material to the hard drive and then play it back once it's on the hard drive ONLY? 

 
 
They are listed as audio inputs on the technical specs, so I would assume they're not for loading the hard-drive... Also, those would be extremely weird file transfer methods, especially as it already has 2 USB ports!

 

[Zoom25]

   
 
They are listed as audio inputs on the technical specs, so I would assume they're not for loading the hard-drive... Also, those would be extremely weird file transfer methods, especially as it already has 2 USB ports!

 
The only reason I asked was because I remember early on on forums/interview, there was some discrepancy to it's functionality. Otherwise it makes sense for it to be there as a regular input. A 500 GB built in hard drive and can also act as a DAC for say listening to stuff off computer/CDP/PS3 through optical - I'm sold. They have gapless playback - which is huge for me as I have a bunch of mixed CDs. If they can read cue files as well, that'd be amazing.

 

[robm321]

Subscribed

 

[Zoom25]

I just checked Sony Canada: http://store.sony.ca/hi-res-audio/cat-31-catid-All-Hi-Res-Audio
 
They have all three listed on their sites for pre-order. That's a start.

 

[Gradius]

Price for TA-A1ES is $1999 too.
 
Update (photos inside):

 
 
 
From HT review:

 

[Toe Tag]

Does it support USB OTG audio (work with Android phone/tablet as source)?
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs

 

[Rob49]

  Just received my UDA-1 dac from Sony Belgium - seems they have earlier stock than most regions.
 
I could find no solid review information at all before purchasing so bought it blind as it ticked most boxes for me. Mostly I'll be using with Windows JRiver Media Centre but I'll be interested to see how it performs with 24/192 files from an FIIO X3 coax out.
 
I've not got anything as hard to drive as LCD-3s but will try with my HD600s and Q701s and a few others over the weekend and report back.

Hi reespa, any feedback on how this sounds ?