[bland125]

Hi All. Brand new to this forum. These posts specifically have been great since I got my new player. Glad to now be part of the zx-507 community.

I've read through as many pages as I can and I think I understand most of the basics. But I'd like to ask clearly if people will indulge me please:

I have the UK/EU version of the zx-507 which doesn't have the high gain setting (as per the Sony instructions that the relevant zx-507 setting is only available in certain regions).
Is there any way to access the high gain setting by changing my firmware/region? My headphones have quite high impedance and 120 volume on low gain isn't quite loud enough for me.

There is a post above with the URL for the files by region? I think 0000 is International for example. Can I set the USA firmware or does it still know somehow that I'm still in the UK? (we've left the EU too...)

Sorry if this is clearly stated somewhere already.
I've watched a chap on YouTube with a Chinese 505 I think, re-flash the international firmware. So the basics look easy enough - not needing to use Odin or anything.
But there are people saying they are able to access that high gain setting and others state there is no way (currently).

Many thanks.

Sorry, nothing you can do yet. People are trying hard to find a solution around but none have yet. It does not seem FW related. For now, you would need to get a non EU version without the cap. A lot has been said on the subject on this thread already but it is likely a few (or a lot) of pages back. The rest is mostly drama and battery ramblings anyway!

 

[bland125]

@MrWalkman
How dare you to come with your science and your logic to this thread full of myths and fairytales?!?

It is as rigorously scientific to quote marketing materials and diagrams from a listed corporation as science than to make subjective observations on the implementation of such technology.

What if turning it on (assuming it can), the 360 thingy I don't know nothing about but don't listen to 360 made material? What if it caused some DSP to activate and try to do something not intended maybe even as far as a defect?

Let's not check it up and discuss it but argue about it instead, makes so much more sense these days...

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Sony doesn't mention it therefore it cannot exist.

That's science and logic?

Firmware sound quality, standby times has been improving much since 1.0.1 and it has never been mentioned by Sony in their firmware changes(exception with DSEE Ultimate).

 

[MrWalkman]

Sony doesn't mention it therefore it cannot exist.

That's science and logic?

Firmware sound quality, standby times has been improving much since 1.0.1 and it has never been mentioned by Sony in their firmware changes (exception with DSEE Ultimate).

I didn't say that. I only said that it's pretty weird that they didn't mention any of these amazing improvements (which doesn't really make sense) and that assumptions should not be presented as 100% facts.

And also the part about 360RA, which is actually documented by Sony, but presented here in a different way than it actually is, basically contradicting Sony itself.

Regarding sound changes provided by different destinations/regions (not by firmware intended for a different regions like in the case of Android players), the region's value is actually used to initialize the DAC at boot time, and also the person who created the destination tool confirmed that he noticed different sound settings based on the region setting in the sound drivers.

In this case, there is some info regarding changes brought by regions, rather that in the case of other changes in Android players which are not documented anywhere - which again, for such amazing improvements, why would Sony not mention them at all, which could help boosting sales for example?

I would say that there is logic in this.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Maybe I haven't explain in detail why I came to the conclusion that sending your ear photo to Sony affects Walkman music app playback on the WF-1000XM3.

After upgrading to firmware 4.0, I did a factory reset. Which after I have connected to my WF-1000XM3 to test out the Bluetooth sound quality. Whilst listening to walkman app offline music on the xm3, I went to the Sony headphone app to setup the xm3.

After which I went to do the 360 spatial sound personalizer using the smartphone app to capture my ears. When the ear data was uploaded to Sony and the instance that the customized profile data was sent back to the ZX507, the music being played on the walkman app to the xm3 took a brief silent pause of a few seconds. Which after the sound from the xm3 after that pause took on a more wider 3D sound soundstage.

The WF-1000XM3 isn't technically a strong 3D soundstage performer in the first place so I was quite surprised by the significant change in the 3D soundstage. In my hearing experience, It is really quite a stark difference between no ear profile and sending ear profile.

To confirm that I didn't mistaken the sound changes, I did a second factory reset and redone the 360 spacial sound optimizer for the WF-1000XM3 whilst music is playing and the same 3D Soundstage changes shows up once more after the same brief pause. I can only speculate that maybe once you upload your ear data, the ZX507 audio playback system uses your customized HTRF profile for your ears to playback music.

 

[Pro-Jules]

Hi All. Brand new to this forum. These posts specifically have been great since I got my new player. Glad to now be part of the zx-507 community.

I've read through as many pages as I can and I think I understand most of the basics. But I'd like to ask clearly if people will indulge me please:

I have the UK/EU version of the zx-507 which doesn't have the high gain setting (as per the Sony instructions that the relevant zx-507 setting is only available in certain regions).
Is there any way to access the high gain setting by changing my firmware/region? My headphones have quite high impedance and 120 volume on low gain isn't quite loud enough for me.

There is a post above with the URL for the files by region? I think 0000 is International for example. Can I set the USA firmware or does it still know somehow that I'm still in the UK? (we've left the EU too...)

Sorry if this is clearly stated somewhere already.
I've watched a chap on YouTube with a Chinese 505 I think, re-flash the international firmware. So the basics look easy enough - not needing to use Odin or anything.
But there are people saying they are able to access that high gain setting and others state there is no way (currently).

Many thanks.

Sorry for the bad news but best advice is
Do a factory reset
box it back up
And return for a refund

then order a Japanese model.
You will have to take customs charges on the chin

I did that (also in UK)

 

[sander93]

Maybe I haven't explain in detail why I came to the conclusion that sending your ear photo to Sony affects Walkman music app playback on the WF-1000XM3.

After upgrading to firmware 4.0, I did a factory reset. Which after I have connected to my WF-1000XM3 to test out the Bluetooth sound quality. Whilst listening to walkman app offline music on the xm3, I went to the Sony headphone app to setup the xm3.

After which I went to do the 360 spatial sound personalizer using the smartphone app to capture my ears. When the ear data was uploaded to Sony and the instance that the customized profile data was sent back to the ZX507, the music being played on the walkman app to the xm3 took a brief silent pause of a few seconds. Which after the sound from the xm3 after that pause took on a more wider 3D sound soundstage.

The WF-1000XM3 isn't technically a strong 3D soundstage performer in the first place so I was quite surprised by the significant change in the 3D soundstage. In my hearing experience, It is really quite a stark difference between no ear profile and sending ear profile.

To confirm that I didn't mistaken the sound changes, I did a second factory reset and redone the 360 spacial sound optimizer for the WF-1000XM3 whilst music is playing and the same 3D Soundstage changes shows up once more after the same brief pause. I can only speculate that maybe once you upload your ear data, the ZX507 audio playback system uses your customized HTRF profile for your ears to playback music.

and sending ear image. does it work only with tidal and other SPECIAL apps? or it works over all apps?

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

I feel that with the ZX507 on fw4.0, the WF-1000XM3 is finally able to sound as good as a regular wired paired of iem, somewhat equal to a pair of Sennheiser Momentum wired model interms of overall sound.

This is my recommended "mythical settings" for using the WF-1000XM3 with ZX507 to maximize sound quality:

High Res Streaming On
Bluetooth Direct Source Off
Ear profile uploaded to Sony
Priority on Sound Quality
DSEE HX: Auto
Ambient Sound Control Off

 

[Keko123]

One question, is zx500 compatible with Qobuz Hi-res on streaming?

Thanks!

 

[rlw6534]

One question, is zx500 compatible with Qobuz Hi-res on streaming?

Thanks!

I don't think anyone really knows whether the Qobuz or Tidal apps are actually streaming in Hi-res (or rendering MQA for Tidal). The DAP up converts to 32/192 according to Sony (if hi res streaming is turned on). Converting to 32/192 is obviously not the same thing as streaming the native bitrate. Maybe someone else has better info on what is actually happening. I don't recall ever seeing a clear answer on this.

 

[MrWalkman]

I don't think anyone really knows whether the Qobuz or Tidal apps are actually streaming in Hi-res (or rendering MQA for Tidal). The DAP up converts to 32/192 according to Sony (if hi res streaming is turned on). Converting to 32/192 is obviously not the same thing as streaming the native bitrate. Maybe someone else has better info on what is actually happening. I don't recall ever seeing a clear answer on this.

Will do some testing with Tidal, but basically the player has two rendering modes, called "Red" and "Blue".

The "Red" mode is used by the Walkman player app, and is set accordingly to the file, so there is bit perfect playing.

The "Blue" mode is set to either 16/48 or 32/192 according to the Hi-Res streaming mode off or on, and then it's used when playing audio from all the other apps.

 

[omlettes]

Does anybody have an external battery setup they can share? Something small you can glue to a case so it still feels like one unit without cable mess.

 

[sander93]

Does anybody have an external battery setup they can share? Something small you can glue to a case so it still feels like one unit without cable mess.

I dont think batterycase + ZX507 is a good idea.
i advise powerbank as last option.
I HAVE OLD xiomi 5000 mA/h, 2.1A, 5V.
It charges zx507 from 20 to 80 in less than 1 h
however, dont use 1A + chargers to charge zx507 over 80% to prolong battery life span.

 

[omlettes]

I dont think batterycase + ZX507 is a good idea.
i advise powerbank as last option.
however, dont use 1A + chargers to charge zx507 over 80% to prolong battery life span.

Why isn't a battery and a case a good idea?

Why shouldn't you use chargers over 1A? Doesn't the USB-C circuitry negotiate voltages?

As far as the 80%, that's a setting on the device itself. I don't understand why charger amperage would affect the charge level of the device.

 

[Devodonaldson]

Does anybody have an external battery setup they can share? Something small you can glue to a case so it still feels like one unit without cable mess.

Thin 5000mah, great food the zx507
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W6CKRPL/ref=cm_sw_r_sm_apa_fabc_X.s0Fb3YNNTB6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1