[TSAVJason]

 

[TSAVJason]

Hello Headfiers!

You can purchase these products at the following stores today!

The Source AV in Torrance CA

Nothern Audio/Music to My Ear Pittsburg PA

Natural Sound Framingham MA

Listen Up Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs and Albuquerque NM

These are the stores that we know have stock and can deliver the ecosystem or an individual item today!

 

[purk]

I can't wait to hear this Sony system.

 

[Whitigir]

I can not wait for mine either. My ghost, the wait ^_^

 

[TSAVJason]

Aren't both of your Sony Signature Ecosystems scheduled to arrive today? Let's see how the 4 of you that made the leap of faith like it after you've had a chance to play around with it. I thinks it's very cool. I played around with a number of other headphones other than the Sony on the ecosystem. One thing I believe we can say for sure is Sony is back!

 

[Whitigir]

Yes! Thank you Jason, and Merry Xmas. Jason and the team at ThesourceAV is awesome to deal with in real life and is totally recommended

My best Xmas ever!! And Jason is the Santa

 

[TSAVJason]

Yes! Thank you Jason, and Merry Xmas. Jason and the team at ThesourceAV is awesome to deal with in real life and is totally recommended

My best Xmas ever!! And Jason is the Santa

Thanks for the kind words! Enjoy the gear and your holiday. Be sure to get some impressions out there for us all to read as soon as you feel you've got an opinion!

 

[Whitigir]

The Relations

I know Sony had been regionals and in Asia with authorized dealers whose inventory is always full of stocks and also handle the customer services for products warranty or services. Instead of using general phone calls and having the item to ship into the services centers like the General electronics products are, the authorized dealers for audio system is more specifically aimed toward Audio products. These are the folks that get involved most into audio needs and experiences who can also relate to the consumers in a more personal way regarding audio equipments. It is known that in Asia, there would be coffee shops that has collections of vinyls, systems, gears....etc....etc...where people can come for friendships, coffee, and or enjoying music in the best environments.

In the Us, we have such a different system where there had never been a specific target for niche needs like Audio products. Especially when the internet is everything out there with Amazon which is the online largest retailer. It is hard to believe that Sony would go down the route of implementing a dealer system in a market that it had never known to exist before. Similarly to Automotive tuner shops with their own sponsor and specifications toward a specific line of car. Yet, you can buy a lot of things from the internet nowadays from Amazon, but you have to always beware of "counterfeit" products. For example those Ray engineers wheels....etc....expensive products, but has it own authorized dealers. Let's put automotive aside and back to Sony. The reason to buy from Sony Authorized dealer is not about "counterfeit awareness" but rather to have the products ASAP, and supported by your dealer.

For me, personally, to follow the signature products of Sony since the announcement at IFA, I could not wait. I was very disappointed when seeing the first market to get release was the EU market. Moreover, Amazon UK started selling the Headphones MDR-Z1R ways early into October. Here in the Us and Sony website, there is a button "where to order", when clicked on, always redirects people to Amazon. I was able to place "preorder" with Amazon and waited for 10 days until Amazon canceled it. The signature products listing were nowhere appeared again on Amazon. I made several contacts with Amazon through calls, emails, chats, and all I got was "we will notify the appropriate team regarding your interest." I tried and call Sony, or chat, and all I got was general answers that could be found from the websites....etc....Very disappointed. I needed someone who knows and specialized into the line of products !

Then I heard it first from Jason @ ThesourceAV, I could not believe what Jason said about such authorized dealer system and all that. I got tired of waiting for Sony Signature products, I went out of my ways to buy from other regions with "Tourist" version Walkman NW-WM1Z and headphones Z1R. However, the Amplifier TA-ZH1ES was AC regionally restricted. There are 2 versions that use 110V or 220V outlets....Finally, I hit my Bump. Not until I contacted Jason and asked about this, even though being very Skeptical at first, Jason responded to me very quickly from PM or Text, and even phone calls.

The Contacts

From Jason, I heard that he is one of the specific audio equipments into the Niche market that cater toward personal needs for audio gears, and that he is one of the largest when it come into this regard of Audio gears and being an authorized dealer. ThesourceAV is one of Sony Authorized dealer and will have the Sony Eco system before the end of year. I had to make sure that meant Jason would also carry the Amplifier, and YES! He would. From a long phone call, Jason realized that I had wandered off and made purchases from other regions, Jason explained to me that Sony, as a brand and specifically Walkman and portable audio equipments is its own branch, and it is trying to implement the "authorized dealer system" to better assist and relate to people needs. By doing this, instead of asking question regarding Personal Audio from Amazon customer services, or Sony general phone, chat, email contacts, the consumers get to the folks who knows more and can answer more into this regard (exactly what I needed). Then I got Jason to offered me an opportunity to own the amplifier As Soon As Possible which is before the year end.

*originally I thought Sony would not release it until CES*

The process

I still find it hard to believe what Jason just explained, I called a couple times later including countless of Text like he was a very close friend of mine. I want the amplifier as soon as possible, so buying the whole Sony system was the best. Jason helped all the way to make sure that I get the best deal available. Jason is also fun to talk to !

Then it gets better, Jason made promises that he would like us to enjoy X-Mas, and he is pulling Sony Back to have the products readily available. Jason would put all pre-order and including mine on an "overnight" shipments on the house. It sounded too good to believe, but there is a kid in me who got so excited and that I asked Jason a couple times, when do I make payments ? What form of payments do you take ? Well, ThesourceAV take all kind of payments including PayPal and can be paid in full or partially until the pre-order is ready to ship

I kept Jason texted everyday regarding the updates...my ghost...what a PITA I became. Finally, Jason told me that he is ready to ship, and this is the magical time for the payment. Believe me, I have never been happier to pull out my wallet like this. So, Pew...Pew...Pew, and here come, my Tracking number was provided to me. My ghost, I had been waiting for this long.






The arrivals

So, my delivery came in, and I can not believe that it is here. The whole system weighted 32 lbs, well packed, and overnight shipping on the house. Jason is my Santa this Xmas, Wayne helped me out a lot, and here I am enjoying the best Christmas ever ! I totally recommend Jason, the owner and operator of The Source AV, when buying audio gears, of all kinds, and of course Sony Signatures

Jason and his staff was very professional, fun to talk to, and would go out of their ways to help.

Jason can be contacted

* JasonLord@TheSourceAV.com
(310) 534-9900 Main
(310) 534-9901 FAX
(310) 809-7587 Cell
www.TheSourceAV.com 

**I am in no affiliation with The source AV, and writing the above review because in my opinions, Jason and his staff deserve credits due**

 

[Audio Addict]

I look forward to hearing more on this setup.

 

[TSAVJason]

I look forward to hearing more on this setup.

You know, you're right! We should be hearing more about this Ecosystem

 

[purk]

I couldn't second @Whitigir enough about Jason @ ThesourceAV,.  His team has been very professional and patience with me with the purchase of the Sony Signature Personal Audio Ecosystem.  He personally made sure that my gear arrived just in time for x'mas by throwing in a next day shipping free of charge.  The transaction has been flawless and I have been enjoying the Sony Signature system for the whole week now.  I hope to provide more impressions once the burn in process has completed.  My highest recommendation and I will definitely give him my business again.

 

[Whitigir]

It took me a while to have everything completely burned-in and go through all the waiting for plugs to make my cables and cater to what I think is best for the system of the 3. Here I will be sharing my findings with you here.

First of, I want to talk about cables upgrades. Yes, many of you may still be caught within the cables upgrades and it myths, but comes from experiences and relations I can tell that most people who is in high-end gears do believe and take upgraded cables seriously. Kind reminder that stock cables is of industry minimal standards, and wile it is adequate for mid-tier stuff, it is in no way suffice for the higher-end standard. Let's simply talk about physical being of cables: power-supplies need to be minimal of 16AWG, headphones is 24 AWG and the same for USB cables. Most of the time, manufacturers only include 26-28 AWG USB cables and headphones cables, then 18 AWG for Powercord cables. See ? Physically, these cables come under the specs. So, please keep in mind that everything upgraded you have at it, it will impact the system. Especially Sony new signature products, the 3 pieces will benefit tremendously from upgraded cables.


Secondly I want to talk about how to get the best out of the system using stock and stock cables alone. The best for the system is to buy a Walkman cradle, and this cradle was released back in the day for ZX2 accessory. It works beautifully with the WM1Z in the case. So, your ideal setup would be: WM1Z + cradle + Ta + MDR-Z1R, if you decide to go all in for Sony stuff. The cradles (BCR-NWH10). You can get it feeding the Wm1z charge and digitally playing into your Ta together.





Sound signatures of the whole "trio": every pieces has the same ideas of leaning toward Super-Spherical soundstage, expansive, deep, tall, great dynamic range, and analog smoothness. Even so, each of them still have their own differences.

Wm1z: Warmth, super spherical soundstage, great depth, great dynamic and warmth. Compare to TA, the WM1Z is like a mini TA in signatures and as a portable device, it makes senses to only be behind the TA in places. But mind you that for a Portable player, it is unique in the offering of timbres performances, decay, subtles details and soundstage rendering, in my experiences. Now, the WM1Z is behind the TA in the dynamic range (the punches, the density...etc) it is not as satisfying as TA, the soundstage from TA has a beautiful rendering of Depth and (Duo spherical rendering). I mentioned Duo-rendering because the TA clearly represent itself as 2 separate layers of spherical soundstage, an outer spherical stage and an inner spherical stage. The whole soundstage from TA is super-spherical, and super-holo-graphical. Despite of being Duo-rendering, everything is in a great linearity, and beautifully in sync or cohesive, each layering and separations has it own spaces, dynamic and even atmosphere around itself. The WM1Z is lacking behind the TA in the inner soundstage rendering, it is more fuzzy, smaller and not as vivid, but again, for a Portable to achieve this level of rendering into a full size Headphones like Z1R ? That is unique and extraordinary. In relation to this, the warmthness, smoothness of WM1Z makes that the splashes and trebles extensions to be lacking behind TA. It only makes senses, but for a Portable player to be able to get this much textures resolutions and rendering is trully great. Another thing to note is that for warmth in comparison, the TA is warmer than WM1Z but with the great power and juices or for it being desktop architecture and design ? It is able to be pulling ahead of the WM1Z in trebles extensions, splashes as much as Dynamic and finesses. The TA bass ripples and decays are jaw dropping IMO.

Here the WM1Z benefit the most from an upgraded cables: the inner cables is sized from 21-22 AWG from the sockets into the motherboard, so the headphones cables you want to get the best out of your small WM1Z have to slot in between 21-22AWG per polarity. This will preserve signals integrity the most. Mind you, the TA also benefit from upgraded cables, and luckily it has 4.4mm as well. The effect on the headphone cables upgrade is not as pronounced as on the WM1Z. The TA has enough juices and power to satisfy you from that stock Z1R cables just fine, and then upgraded cables would be the icing on the cake, the whip cream on the coffee.




Then what about the headphones MDR-Z1R ? It shares the similar super-spherical soundstage, expansive with great vertical and visceral impacts, and the warmth, smoothness of analog familiarity. However, due to the nature being of the design, closed-back, it isolates sound leakage greatly from in-out, and the sub-bass is strongly presenting with nice midbass punches as a whole package it may be perceived as a bass strong headphones. The strangest things about the Z1R is from the cables as well, in an underpowered situation the sub-bass would constantly be out and bring fatigues. Specifically speaking from WM1Z + Stock cables 4.4mm into Z1R. The stock cables is too small to preserve signal integrity, and don't laugh just yet. I had to wait for the "Pentaconn 4.4 plug release" so I had to stick around with the stock cables. I also had experienced many cables myself as I have my skills at my disposal to do so. I would not think that it would not significantly change the performances? It actually does, and really do so. Directly speaking, WM1Z + Stock z1r cables and Z1R is a very Warmth combination, with sub bass being overwhelming in some instances, the finesses and subtles details are overpowered by the warmth and the sub-bass. This is the signature that Z1R would bring into system that is not powerful enough to run it, and especially in Single-ended, this signature remain to be seen even from TA itself. Therefore, I keep on saying that Z1R is the headphones for Balanced connection. However, this turns to be a good point from Z1R to enjoy movies from an iPad directly connected. It makes the Z1R so engaging, so explosive and so much emotion with that holographical soundstage, the Z1R appear to be very easily driven from your normal source for online contents. The value here is the weakness in some instances and circumstances turn out to be the strong points in some other circumstances and instances. This to me make the Z1R headphones a very easy to drive and generally universally enjoyable.

Simply put, Z1R scales so crazily out of a good system, and even an iPad will do it just fine.




Now, what benefit does the Z1R get from a good setup ? That soundstage, that finesses, that subtles details, that impacts and dynamic, they became more neutral and balanced. Simply put, out of it Native environment : WM1Z + Cradle + Upgraded cables + Z1R + TA ? It turns out to be a very hard to beat headphones. The strangest thing here is that bass, it is so balanced, yet still punchy, rumbling, impactful in a speakers like way, very fun, very musical, but is not lacking details, the glares and sibilants are being restrained and well controlled to the max, then on top of that, the isolations (so much privacy, I can listen to music at 2-3 AM without bothering anyone). The sub-bass is so much textures, so fine, the trebles and every details are so dense, so thick but vivid and smooth. Warmth ? Yes, it is warmth, but in a good way, a very fun, musical engaging ways. I would say that this system bring the best of both worlds, the smoothness and warmth of classy old analog system, the details and finesse , expansive air, spaces of field rendering from solid states, and especially the distortions that most analog or tubes are familiar with ? Hey, it is not here, the distortions and even micro distortions from digital sources are minimized


Last but not least, the TA. Yet sharing many similarity, and also benefit trmendously from upgraded cables. USB cables from the Cradles into the TA can slightly tune the whole system signature into warmer with smoothness (pure copper solid core USB cables), or more transparency with more trebles subtles details and extensions (pure silver USB cables), or the best of both world yet again (silver-gold solid core USB cables). Stock USB cables will also share the similarity of what Z1R does, that boomy sub bass and soft dynamic punches. Even the Powercord will benefit it here and in a very similar way.

The very special things about this TA that I want to hugely impressed on would be "DSD Remastering engine". I thought it would be a "gimmick" or "marketing tool", but no, I turned out to be a fool to have thought of it that way. Everyone of us who love DSD files and tubes system are already very familiar to that "lively soundstage and it smoothness". Here I want to say that the DSD-Remastering engine Blow "Souls" into the soundstage from your typical MP3 and online streaming. It brings the "lively soundstage and smoothness" that you are very familiar with. Honestly speaking, I smiled, and grin like a maniac to be able to enjoy that online Netflix movies, and YouTube music with this lively familiarity. It takes every input and output with this DSD-Remastering engines. I don't think that I would ever try to feed the TA Analog pre-in, so I can not help you here. However, on the paper technically, when you use RAC input, the TA will convert to Digital and do DSD remastering too ! Not sure how good it is, but it is something I don't need at this moment.

Sometimes I do feel like to turn off the DSD remastering engine and enjoy the raw performances from high-resolutions files, it helps with better edges textures and sharpen up the images, but loses the lively and the smoothness of that, and over the time I found myself to be addicted to this DSD remastering engine right before I knew it. It just works so well with everything that I have here and so I prefer it on all the time. Preferable DC phase linearizer off

In the end, how should I put the whole system ? Hard to beat for the prices and performances, and each pieces can be dedicated toward different thing independently:

Wm1z: dedicated and uniquely Portable player on the go that can power headphones
Z1R: so enjoyable and engaging from movies on an iPad or playing game for that matter
TA: excellent for decoder/Amplifier when streaming from IPad and other devices into it, even though the Apples IPad and iPhones needs camera kit

The whole system has that analog feeling, expansive and lively soundstage but yet easy on the ears and fatigue free that I can simply enjoy it on and on and on. What else can beat this feature of DSD-Remastering engine ? I don't want to know, because a for sure thing that I can tell is that under this performances, I wouldn't be surprised to end up in a much more expensive system to beat it. Right here, and now, this is the end game system for me, that is not only doing so well in sound performances, but is very friendly universally.

If anyone would ask me how do I rate the pricing and where is the priority arrangement if one can simply not be able to get all 3 at the same time ? I would say the TA should be primarily the first piece, then upgrade your cables, and then proceed to WM1Z in assuming that you already have your favorite headphones that can connect the TA already, and if you happened to upgrade 4.4mm cables Balanced for your headphones and TA ? Great, WM1Z is next, and finally that Z1R.

I would also rate the pricing in this order, and I thought it would make more senses judging from the performances and features for each independent pieces: TA, Walkman, Z1R. Well, it is fair to say that Sony has the TA and WM1A in this order, but the Z1R is aiming a bit high here coming from an enthusiast like me. However, judging from the overly inflated pricing, and personal preferences, the Z1R pricing is hard to debate. But everyone would feel the way that I do, the lower pricing the better, and the same for that luxurious WM1Z as well. Ultimately, I would think that the TA should deserve to be the most expensive piece in the whole chain , and from this point of view, the TA is a (Steal) for it overall pricing-performances-features-values, and so forth it is the most primarily choice to go for in the whole eco system.

So, would I complain about anything in the chain ? Sure, that Z1R, I would love Sony to release their references headphones with better balanced and neutrality, the similar kinds from those of SA5000 and Qualia Q10. Having SA5000 here, I do feel that an upgraded SA5000 for a Flagship would be flying out the windows with the two pieces TA-ZH1ES and WM1Z , just my 2 cents, and I am still dreaming of a day where Sony would bring back that references signatures of them, and especially now we have musicality from z1r already

Thank you TSAVJason @ ThesourceAV as an authorized dealer, a very fun staff and very friendly transactions, most of all, for having the system so fast on release in stock, and bring satisfactions so soon into my cravings

PS: I forgot to mention about why would anyone want WM1Z or WM1A Walkman as a transporting source. The Walkman are dedicated devices with build and design toward audio quality even as a transport, the older ZX2 already showed as an improvements over typical smartphones and or laptop as a dedicated sources with high-resolution files format. It improves further with the cradle and the upgraded USB cables. However, it is still a no matches for the WM1Z as a transport with the cradle and the USB cable. The Wm1z obviously is an improvements in finesses and subtles details as the transport into the TA, especially when it can do native DSD digital out upto 5.6 MHz where the Zx2 just can not. The TA accept upto 11.2 into the PC port in the back and 5.6 to the one in the side (Walkman port)



Here is my Junkies style SA5000 modified into Balanced removable style with 3.5mm sockets. I have to say that the SA5000 has achieved this beautiful neutrality, natural timbres, air and atmosphere, balanced, but not lacking any musicality with trebles splashes and extensions!!!. It is surprisingly more comfortable than Z1R, lighter on the head. This is the reason why I am dreaming for Sony to go out, and bring back the improved SA5000 with it Nano-composite drivers. That speed, transparency, potentials....etc. It lacks behind in comparison to Z1R super-holo-graphical soundstage, but in compliment it has that open airiness. It sound signature just happen to sync and pair so well with the Wm1Z and TA. Please, Sony, please bring back Nano composite drivers and your references signatures

Here is my SA5000 with newer wirings and female sockets to welcome it into the Eco system




Link to my review of WM1Z: http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-digital-audio-player-walkman-nw-wm1z-n-gold/reviews/17881

Link to my review of MDR Z1R: http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-mdr-z1r/reviews/17806

Enjoy!

 

[Lemieux66]

Thanks for the review

Could you comment on the sound difference between using the Sony transport cradle and the TA Walkman digital input?

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks for the review

Could you comment on the sound difference between using the Sony transport cradle and the TA Walkman digital input?

Let's just say the finesses is not all there VS when you have the dock , it is as much as that I don't want to use it without the dock anymore, and I do want a new dock though , because we are talking about Dock from Zx2

 

[vcmusik]

Been saving up for the amp, but I saw this thread about the whole ecosystem. Can anyone talk about the cable? Is it similar to the Axiom cable that Kimber sells direct?