[Whitigir]

My answer was to directly to @kp297

1/ wall power by Sony stock is mediocre. So battery preferred should be priority
2/ @kp297 wants to preserve the batteries, and wonder if he could have kept it on AC preferred mode ?

My answer is that I don’t care about batteries, what I care is sound quality. The battery preferred mode should be the best there is for any Stock unit. Unless you can have a good External LPSU made, then AC preferred mode is the best there is. @purk has already confirmed it

In which case, if you have a good LPSU and AC prefer mode, you also preserve the battery packs and having the better quality too

 

[Whitigir]

thanks Whitigir, I appreciate your patience! I will not go down this road of LPSU then. Time for my favorite part, listening to the music. Cheers

I did post a couple LPSU that will work with DMP Z1 which you can buy.....I forgot what they were. You should use “search” function to look it up

 

[Rob49]

I don’t know what you meant ? Why can I or can I not answer the question ?
This is the External Linear Power Supply unit that’s I posted a while ago. The middle unit




This will not work as it has only 15V....the DMP is 19.5VDC
Again, I am not aware of any readily available LPSU from Amazon that can match DMP Z1, unless you can customize it somehow, or DIY

I didn't say you couldn't answer the question @Whitigir My point was, correct me if i'm wrong & apologies if i am, but wasn't @kp297 referring to the stock power supply & whether it's best to use this, saving on battery usage ??

 

[kp297]

I didn't say you couldn't answer the question @Whitigir My point was, correct me if i'm wrong & apologies if i am, but wasn't @kp297 referring to the stock power supply & whether it's best to use this, saving on battery usage ??

I was asking this:

The DMP Z1 out of the box prefers wall power when plugged in. However running off batteries is the whole point of the DMP design. When running off batteries all the time, this leads to more charge/discharge cycles which can shorten battery life. My initial question was, should we stick with wall power? If we don’t use wall power, how much sound improvement is there using battery and how does constant battery use impact battery life span.

Whitigir has mentioned using a LPSU provides best experience, and this also prevents usage of battery which in turn increases life span of batteries. He has mentioned on this forum there are some off the shelf units we can use. I will not be building my own, I prefer to purchase one. I am scouring the forum for his posts to find a suitable one.

cheers

 

[Whitigir]

I was asking this:

The DMP Z1 out of the box prefers wall power when plugged in. However running off batteries is the whole point of the DMP design. When running off batteries all the time, this leads to more charge/discharge cycles which can shorten battery life. My initial question was, should we stick with wall power? If we don’t use wall power, how much sound improvement is there using battery and how does constant battery use impact battery life span.

Whitigir has mentioned using a LPSU provides best experience, and this also prevents usage of battery which in turn increases life span of batteries. He has mentioned on this forum there are some off the shelf units we can use. I will not be building my own, I prefer to purchase one. I am scouring the forum for his posts to find a suitable one.

cheers

HDPlex has a 400W LPSU that I also uses for my PC, which also has 19V outlet that was measured and tested by me, and it will work with DMP Z1. All you need is a plug adapter . The one in DMP Z1 is Sony laptop DC plug

Here is the link

It will come with the Cables ready but with regular DC plug, you need to find the adapter toward Sony Laptop from Amazon like this one

 

[Rob49]

I was asking this:

The DMP Z1 out of the box prefers wall power when plugged in. However running off batteries is the whole point of the DMP design. When running off batteries all the time, this leads to more charge/discharge cycles which can shorten battery life. My initial question was, should we stick with wall power? If we don’t use wall power, how much sound improvement is there using battery and how does constant battery use impact battery life span.

Whitigir has mentioned using a LPSU provides best experience, and this also prevents usage of battery which in turn increases life span of batteries. He has mentioned on this forum there are some off the shelf units we can use. I will not be building my own, I prefer to purchase one. I am scouring the forum for his posts to find a suitable one.

cheers

Thanks. I interpreted your question correctly & it's a question i would be asking too. I wasn't aware that using the LPSU, ( like @Whitigir ) - who does know what he is talking about, as we all know....i was just politely pointing out this won't be feasable for everyone ??....and if i recall correctly he also said it is dangerous, if you're don't know what you're doing ! ?? ) will save on battery use, but logically thinking, that should be so !

 

[Rob49]

Oh !!! In all the excitement of LPSU....i missed the midnight deadline to wish @phonomat a Happy Birthday.....and how is that listening coming along....?? No need for you to go to bed !! lol

 

[Fsilva]

Mine arrived today, just in time for my birthday tomorrow. That's what I call serendipity.

Thanks again for the tip, @Fsilva, you must be an angel sent from the heavens.

Sorry Sir, no angel here
Just a concerned citizen, that is always looking for the best deal, and since everyone on this thread was expecting the best deal...
Enjoy your birthday gift!!

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks. I interpreted your question correctly & it's a question i would be asking too. I wasn't aware that using the LPSU, ( like @Whitigir ) - who does know what he is talking about, as we all know....i was just politely pointing out this won't be feasable for everyone ??....and if i recall correctly he also said it is dangerous, if you're don't know what you're doing ! ?? ) will save on battery use, but logically thinking, that should be so !

That is correct, wrong voltage input or reversed polarity will damage your device.

in which I would recommend that you better know what you are doing.

It should be pretty straight forward if you buy that HDPlex as I linked, and to make sure, you should have a voltmeter handy to measure the voltage and identify the polarity that should match your stock charger. While the unit I have is measured and identified to be working with DMP out of the box, with only an adapter at the plug, I won’t be so sure that HDplex may not change up the polarity as these units are customizable.

To avoid the confusion, when you place order at HDplex, you can send an email with your Sony plug pictures on the polarity and voltage requirement toward HDPlex, and ask for the compatibility. However, I would ask that you have a handy voltmeter in the closet to make sure

 

[mrtim6]

IMHO I respectfully disagree with KP297 on the sound comparison between the DMP and the Orpheus. I found the Orpheus on a completely different tier in terms of sound quality, sound stage, bass impact, transparency, mids and treble. The DMP despite being an excellent quality device, honestly sounded Meh in comparison sonically. I’m not surprised, as they are worlds apart in pricing and the DMP is an all in one solution, where as with the Orpheus I could Change the source from high end SACD player (German made, I forgot the brand) to my Walkman.

 

[purk]

Agreed with @Whitigir on all counts regarding the sound quality with an upgraded power supply. I prefer the sound quality of the DMP on the battery over the stock PSU as well.

 

[phonomat]

IMHO I respectfully disagree with KP297 on the sound comparison between the DMP and the Orpheus. I found the Orpheus on a completely different tier in terms of sound quality, sound stage, bass impact, transparency, mids and treble. The DMP despite being an excellent quality device, honestly sounded Meh in comparison sonically. I’m not surprised, as they are worlds apart in pricing and the DMP is an all in one solution, where as with the Orpheus I could Change the source from high end SACD player (German made, I forgot the brand) to my Walkman.

Hm, I must say I'm with @kp297 on this one. I've heard the Orpheus twice, and both times I was thinking, well, this is just another headphone. Was not impressed at all. At the third opportunity, I didn't even bother. To be fair, I don't think it is meant to wow you on a cursory listen, and oftentimes the things with the biggest wow factor just end up getting on your nerves in the end while you stick with the "growers". Also both times were under show conditions which is not comparable with listening to your own music at home, but anyway, it just left me cold.

The DMP-Z1 on the other hand ... All I can say at the moment is that I've never heard music presented this way. It's really unlike everything I've ever heard. Note that this is not necessarily positive. I mean, this thing has made short work of some of my most beloved tunes. Entire songs that might suffer from a lackluster production I wasn't even aware of beforehand have completely fallen apart under its scrutiny, rendered virtually unlistenable -- harsh, untight, instruments all over the place. I listened for two or three hours last night, and there was a moment when I had the revelation that for me it's not about the technical prowess, it's entirely about the music. The hunt for the best sound has become a sport for some of us, and it's easy to fall into this mindset. And it's absolutely okay if you do, I think it's just not my way. I will always love my favorite tunes, no matter if I hear them on some sort of megabuck system or streamed on a crappy mono speaker, because of the memories, the situations, the people I've shared them with.

Then again, Björk, Dead Can Dance or Sigur Ròs never sounded this good. Ethereal, unearthly, otherworldly. Just now, I was playing Alva Noto's cover version of "A Forest" by The Cure.



I'm not exaggerating when I say my jaw dropped. I literally sat there open-mouthed like an imbecile for minutes. It was one of those situations where you cannot believe that what you're hearing (that sub-bass!) is coming out of such small things (in this case DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R). What a huuuge sound. I can't imagine someone hearing this and not being touched to their core by the experience.
It's incredible what difference a really black background makes. In the best moments, it's like you're standing in a room in pitch-black darkness and someone is painting with light around you, colors that bloom and then vanish again in complete blackness. For me, high-end has always been very much about separation, basically taking a lump of sound and dissecting it into distinct elements, surrounding them with air and assigning them a position in a three-dimensional space. But sometimes this can be taken too far, and I think this sort of dissection might in fact be detrimental to the impact of certain songs that might profit from just this "wall of sound" effect. So over the course of the coming weeks, I will have to see how my own music collection fares with the DMP-Z1, how it will treat all of my Redbook files and vinyl rips. Only a small portion of my music is in hi-res; it's an increasing number, but I have thousands of CD's and records with lots and lots of pop and electronic music that I want to continue to enjoy, and if the DMP-Z1 should turn out to be too ruthless towards them, well, lets just say I know where my allegiance lies. If 40 % of my music sounds stellar and 60 % terrible, that obviously will not suffice. It's funny, in a way I almost feel like I'm only just coming to terms with what true high-end sound really is, and it definitely takes some getting used to. There have been moments with the DMP-Z1 that were intense to the point of being overwhelming and dizzying. It's not so much ear fatigue as mind fatigue, like it's too much to digest. But this is all very interesting, and I'm curious where it will take me. (At the moment, I'm not sure what I'm even getting at with these incoherent ramblings. Sorry for the stream of consciousness, maybe I shouldn't have listened while typing. )

I guess what I want to say is this: @Rob49, there is absolutely no need to be "jelly". Nobody needs something like the DMP-Z1, or at least I guess that's true for me. It's overkill, and it's most certainly decadent. Music does not have to sound as good as it does at the best moments to be enjoyed. A true love for music is something that money can't buy. Music does not cost the world either, and the older I get, the more often I find myself turning towards the songs and tracks that have accompanied me all my life anyway. Do I want them to sound good? Sure I do, but sometimes good is good enough. I really do think that this is an item for those who have everything else. If money is no issue, then go ahead and buy one. If best performance is your ultimate goal, if you see it more as a sport, then buy one and tweak the hell out of it. I don't think that ultimately it will increase your enjoyment of the music; instead you might just end up listening to the gear, and I think a lot of this is just compensation. That is one more thing I'll have to evaluate in the coming weeks. At the moment, this very piece of gear often sounds so spectacular that I'm absolutely floored. The thing is, I don't want to listen to the gear.
Or maybe it's just the midlife crisis talking. Excuse the rambling, everyone. And enjoy the music.

 

[Rob49]

Hm, I must say I'm with @kp297 on this one. I've heard the Orpheus twice, and both times I was thinking, well, this is just another headphone. Was not impressed at all. At the third opportunity, I didn't even bother. To be fair, I don't think it is meant to wow you on a cursory listen, and oftentimes the things with the biggest wow factor just end up getting on your nerves in the end while you stick with the "growers". Also both times were under show conditions which is not comparable with listening to your own music at home, but anyway, it just left me cold.

The DMP-Z1 on the other hand ... All I can say at the moment is that I've never heard music presented this way. It's really unlike everything I've ever heard. Note that this is not necessarily positive. I mean, this thing has made short work of some of my most beloved tunes. Entire songs that might suffer from a lackluster production I wasn't even aware of beforehand have completely fallen apart under its scrutiny, rendered virtually unlistenable -- harsh, untight, instruments all over the place. I listened for two or three hours last night, and there was a moment when I had the revelation that for me it's not about the technical prowess, it's entirely about the music. The hunt for the best sound has become a sport for some of us, and it's easy to fall into this mindset. And it's absolutely okay if you do, I think it's just not my way. I will always love my favorite tunes, no matter if I hear them on some sort of megabuck system or streamed on a crappy mono speaker, because of the memories, the situations, the people I've shared them with.

Then again, Björk, Dead Can Dance or Sigur Ròs never sounded this good. Ethereal, unearthly, otherworldly. Just now, I was playing Alva Noto's cover version of "A Forest" by The Cure.



I'm not exaggerating when I say my jaw dropped. I literally sat there open-mouthed like an imbecile for minutes. It was one of those situations where you cannot believe that what you're hearing (that sub-bass!) is coming out of such small things (in this case DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1R). What a huuuge sound. I can't imagine someone hearing this and not being touched to their core by the experience.
It's incredible what difference a really black background makes. In the best moments, it's like you're standing in a room in pitch-black darkness and someone is painting with light around you, colors that bloom and then vanish again in complete blackness. For me, high-end has always been very much about separation, basically taking a lump of sound and dissecting it into distinct elements, surrounding them with air and assigning them a position in a three-dimensional space. But sometimes this can be taken too far, and I think this sort of dissection might in fact be detrimental to the impact of certain songs that might profit from just this "wall of sound" effect. So over the course of the coming weeks, I will have to see how my own music collection fares with the DMP-Z1, how it will treat all of my Redbook files and vinyl rips. Only a small portion of my music is in hi-res; it's an increasing number, but I have thousands of CD's and records with lots and lots of pop and electronic music that I want to continue to enjoy, and if the DMP-Z1 should turn out to be too ruthless towards them, well, lets just say I know where my allegiance lies. If 40 % of my music sounds stellar and 60 % terrible, that obviously will not suffice. It's funny, in a way I almost feel like I'm only just coming to terms with what true high-end sound really is, and it definitely takes some getting used to. There have been moments with the DMP-Z1 that were intense to the point of being overwhelming and dizzying. It's not so much ear fatigue as mind fatigue, like it's too much to digest. But this is all very interesting, and I'm curious where it will take me. (At the moment, I'm not sure what I'm even getting at with these incoherent ramblings. Sorry for the stream of consciousness, maybe I shouldn't have listened while typing. )

I guess what I want to say is this: @Rob49, there is absolutely no need to be "jelly". Nobody needs something like the DMP-Z1, or at least I guess that's true for me. It's overkill, and it's most certainly decadent. Music does not have to sound as good as it does at the best moments to be enjoyed. A true love for music is something that money can't buy. Music does not cost the world either, and the older I get, the more often I find myself turning towards the songs and tracks that have accompanied me all my life anyway. Do I want them to sound good? Sure I do, but sometimes good is good enough. I really do think that this is an item for those who have everything else. If money is no issue, then go ahead and buy one. If best performance is your ultimate goal, if you see it more as a sport, then buy one and tweak the hell out of it. I don't think that ultimately it will increase your enjoyment of the music; instead you might just end up listening to the gear, and I think a lot of this is just compensation. That is one more thing I'll have to evaluate in the coming weeks. At the moment, this very piece of gear often sounds so spectacular that I'm absolutely floored. The thing is, I don't want to listen to the gear.
Or maybe it's just the midlife crisis talking. Excuse the rambling, everyone. And enjoy the music.

That's a really interesting write up @phonomat & firstly can i say, that i hope you've had a really enjoyable birthday !

Reading your first impressions, i pick up excitement & confusion, possible doubt, even possible regret ??... at the same time, amazement. I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts, as you listen more.....i'm still not sure what you mean by "jelly" ?? Whether that's positive to say, "I'd go ahead & buy this"....or "you don't necessarily need it" - that's it's a luxury ??
I'm not at all put off by what you've written, infact i'm more intrigued & excited, withthe thought of one day owning one ? I bought my Sony MDR-Z1R's & my TA-ZH1ES during the last 1 -2 years, i love them, don'tregret buying them at all....but just lately i've felt, at times, "Am i enjoying my headphonelistening as much" ?? I'm just concerned if i went to the expense of the DMP & had that same feeling later on down the line....if i do buy one, i'm looking to be amazed everytime i listen to it....and you appear to be saying you're not feeling completely that at present ?? As you indicate, quality of recording's, some fantastically produced music & some not so fantastic....& i'm sure the DMP can't turn a bad recording into a good one, no matter how Hi Res, it may be ! ??

I really look forward to further impressions, from yourself and others, whether new owners or old....& i still regret at this point, not completeing "checkout", last week !

Enjoy !

 

[kp297]

That's a really interesting write up @phonomat & firstly can i say, that i hope you've had a really enjoyable birthday !

Reading your first impressions, i pick up excitement & confusion, possible doubt, even possible regret ??... at the same time, amazement. I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts, as you listen more.....i'm still not sure what you mean by "jelly" ?? Whether that's positive to say, "I'd go ahead & buy this"....or "you don't necessarily need it" - that's it's a luxury ??
I'm not at all put off by what you've written, infact i'm more intrigued & excited, withthe thought of one day owning one ? I bought my Sony MDR-Z1R's & my TA-ZH1ES during the last 1 -2 years, i love them, don'tregret buying them at all....but just lately i've felt, at times, "Am i enjoying my headphonelistening as much" ?? I'm just concerned if i went to the expense of the DMP & had that same feeling later on down the line....if i do buy one, i'm looking to be amazed everytime i listen to it....and you appear to be saying you're not feeling completely that at present ?? As you indicate, quality of recording's, some fantastically produced music & some not so fantastic....& i'm sure the DMP can't turn a bad recording into a good one, no matter how Hi Res, it may be ! ??

I really look forward to further impressions, from yourself and others, whether new owners or old....& i still regret at this point, not completeing "checkout", last week !

Enjoy !

If I was in your position, I would get the IER Z1R’s to complement the MDR’s. Then get the DMP Z1. Here’s a brief write up I wrote earlier today for an audio enthusiast who asked me about the MDR vs IER.
Apologies if off topic from DMP, however in my (albeit weak haha) defense the IER Z1R is a frequent pairing for the DMP.


Z1R: MDR vs IER

I distinctly remember the first time I listened to a hifi system that blew my mind. This was in 2014, at the Audio Salon in Santa Monica. The system I was demoing was not the extensive D’Agostini+Wilson Audio systems that this dealer was famous for. It was not even a proper ‘rack’ hifi system. Just by looking at it you would dismiss it as glorified Bluetooth speakers. However the sound coming from the pair of Devialet Phantom Golds was unlike any rack hifi I’ve heard before. While the sound may not be as refined or technical as other systems I’ve demoed before, from manufactures such as Denon, Sonus Faber, JBL or B&W, the pair of Phantom Golds captivated me with such raw energy and intensity, I nearly made the purchase then and there. However I realized, soberingly, I had not the room to place such a system, and such a system would be wasted in my living space. I would never forget this sound, and since joining the world of headfi, I have been quietly searching for gear that could approach what I heard in the Audio Salon many years ago.

The journey is over with the IER Z1R (referred to as IER). This in ear monitor is bombastic, ostentatious, and addictingly engaging. The IER is perfect for those who wish to extract the full presence from a song, the hidden energy which makes your blood pump and your hair stand on end. The bass reaches into depths I didn’t know existed, and the same happens to the treble, it endlessly extends, and sometimes too much so. This is the perils of a W shaped signature, however even with those flaws this new approach from Sony pays off in dividends. The mid range is sweeter than I expected, but it works well with the sharper treble. Some folks like myself are treble sensitive, and in some recordings the treble is a tad hot. It seems the treble extends if only to match the bottomless low end the dynamic driver achieves, and this is how the IER can extract that hidden energy from a song. It’s like buying an EQ that extracts more soul from the music. This IER supercharges music, and if you can get past the fit, try it immediately.

If the IER were similar to Phantom Golds, than I would compare the MDR Z1R (referred to as MDR) to a pair of JBL 43XX speakers. That sound you just heard were some audiophiles cheering and clapping. The JBL 43XX series has a cult like following in the audiophile world, especially Japan. The sound you get from a JBL is warm, but also retains defined detail with excellent bloomy low end. The MDR aims to bring a classic speaker like sound to headphones, which results in a tuning that has received mixed reactions. MDR has a romantic acoustic tuning, it just wants you to relax and enjoy. It’s not as technical as the IER, and won’t supercharge your listening sessions, but why would I want to supercharge Andre Previn Trio anyway? The MDR and IER are different beasts aimed with different listening experiences in mind. Obviously the IER is the crowning technical achievement, but the MDR has more head time for me. I can smell the wood furniture and smoky aroma of whiskey when I put on the MDR and close my eyes. With the IER, it’s like I’m putting on VR and seeing the music and having it pumped into my veins simultaneously. IER resolution, clarity and energy makes the IER the ‘better’ sounding gear. But I end up choosing the MDR more often to use than the IER. Cest la vie.

 

[Rob49]

If I was in your position, I would get the IER Z1R’s to complement the MDR’s. Then get the DMP Z1. Here’s a brief write up I wrote earlier today for an audio enthusiast who asked me about the MDR vs IER.
Apologies if off topic from DMP, however in my (albeit weak haha) defense the IER Z1R is a frequent pairing for the DMP.


Z1R: MDR vs IER



If the IER were similar to Phantom Golds, than I would compare the MDR Z1R (referred to as MDR) to a pair of JBL 43XX speakers. That sound you just heard were some audiophiles cheering and clapping. The JBL 43XX series has a cult like following in the audiophile world, especially Japan. The sound you get from a JBL is warm, but also retains defined detail with excellent bloomy low end. The MDR aims to bring a classic speaker like sound to headphones, which results in a tuning that has received mixed reactions. MDR has a romantic acoustic tuning, it just wants you to relax and enjoy. It’s not as technical as the IER, and won’t supercharge your listening sessions, but why would I want to supercharge Andre Previn Trio anyway? The MDR and IER are different beasts aimed with different listening experiences in mind. Obviously the IER is the crowning technical achievement, but the MDR has more head time for me. I can smell the wood furniture and smoky aroma of whiskey when I put on the MDR and close my eyes. With the IER, it’s like I’m putting on VR and seeing the music and having it pumped into my veins simultaneously. IER resolution, clarity and energy makes the IER the ‘better’ sounding gear. But I end up choosing the MDR more often to use than the IER. Cest la vie.

Thanks for the feed back & suggestion @kp297 Unfortunately, i just cannot tolerate in ears, at all. Don't get me wrong i do love my Z1R's & i wonder as i age if i'm just getting more sensitive to treble & what i call "busy sound" i.e. a lot going on in the music ?? Our hearing and moods change as we get older...and i'm just wondering if it's just that ?....and the fact that i'm so used to the sound of the MDR-Z1R's now....they still surprise me...but then i think, "Am i just not in the mood" ??
I think at some point i will take the plunge on the DMP-Z1 especially if i see the same offer again. ( Supersonido. ) The constant amazing, out of this world experiences, is difficult not to ignore !