[tunes]

DMP-Z1 is the product in it own category. It isn’t quiet desktop capable, but it is far superior to DAPS in driving full-size headphones

The DMP-Z1 is like the mother of WM1Z, except the tonal body is a little more different as the warmth is intruding into the treble and high spectrum as well. The Wm1Z at least is more balanced and natural uptop. Having desktop system myself, and different portables. I still don’t see the reason to grab the 1Z. I do appreciate the people who buy it up though. Keep stocking Sony, so the giant will wake up

Has anyone compared the DMP-Z1 with CHORD DAVE with and without the Mscaler?

 

[Whitigir]

Has anyone compared the DMP-Z1 with CHORD DAVE with and without the Mscaler?

I tried Z1 and Chord Dave at Canjam. They were of very similar signatures, and almost about the same tier. It would need some private and critical time at home to do a throughout comparison, which I can not do. However, while the DMP-Z1 would positively impress me, the Dave did not. I think the reason was that because DMP-Z1 was portable or possible to be, and Dave is not. You can take that with less than a grain of salt as it was not a critical section of listening impressions or comparisons between the 2. It was more or less a rough line out and quick judge to justify the price point on both device

 

[KaiserTK]

Comparing the DMP-Z1 and Dave is inevitable price wise, but function wise they serve very different purposes imo.

I’ve had a chance to test the Dave numerous times over at the SourceAV and the DMP-Z1 in Denver, LA, Osaka, and Tokyo; and I like both almost equally but from different ways of usage.

DMP sounded pretty lackluster when I paired it with Sennheisers or harder to drive planars (on the 4.4 out; forget the 3.5 out and pretend it doesn’t exist). Where the DMP shines is when paired with IEMs (and easier to drive HPs) like Sony’s M9/Z1R which I thought sounded severely underpowered through the WM1A/1Z.

I think an easier comparison would be against the TAZ. I a/b’d them using my 1A and using the USB Dac function (LDAC is not bad but still has a lot more it could improve on). What stood out to me most is how the DMP had a clearer holographic image (the best rendition of Sony’s house analog tuning) and overall warmth was increased by adding a bit more body in the low-end.

Out of all the Dac filters and DSP options, I liked ‘Slow’ and Direct Source the most. IER-Z1R probably was my favorite pairing, where it had a nice balance between a fun ‘w-signature’ and retaining coherent imaging/lack of bloating.

If I had the option to take either the Dave or DMP home right now, I would probably pick the DMP. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Whitigir]

Comparing the DMP-Z1 and Dave is inevitable price wise, but function wise they serve very different purposes imo.

I’ve had a chance to test the Dave numerous times over at the SourceAV and the DMP-Z1 in Denver, LA, Osaka, and Tokyo; and I like both almost equally but from different ways of usage.

DMP sounded pretty lackluster when I paired it with Sennheisers or harder to drive planars (on the 4.4 out; forget the 3.5 out and pretend it doesn’t exist). Where the DMP shines is when paired with IEMs (and easier to drive HPs) like Sony’s M9/Z1R which I thought sounded severely underpowered through the WM1A/1Z.

I think an easier comparison would be against the TAZ. I a/b’d them using my 1A and using the USB Dac function (LDAC is not bad but still has a lot more it could improve on). What stood out to me most is how the DMP had a clearer holographic image (the best rendition of Sony’s house analog tuning) and overall warmth was increased by adding a bit more body in the low-end.

Out of all the Dac filters and DSP options, I liked ‘Slow’ and Direct Source the most. IER-Z1R probably was my favorite pairing, where it had a nice balance between a fun ‘w-signature’ and retaining coherent imaging/lack of bloating.

If I had the option to take either the Dave or DMP home right now, I would probably pick the DMP. Hope this helps a bit.

Yes, and I agree with your points. The DMP serves many purposes well, but lack input options or streaming capabilities

 

[Audiophile2019]

Folks, today I was lucky enough to demo DMP-Z1 at one Sony store here in downtown KL.. I must admit I'm not impressed..

 

[Whitigir]

Folks, today I was lucky enough to demo DMP-Z1 at one Sony store here in downtown KL.. I must admit I'm not impressed..

Why are you not impressed

 

[Audiophile2019]

Why are you not impressed

I was comparing it against WM1Z, WM1A and my own ZX300.. Using Z1R and Z7M2 over-the-ear headphones.. It sound rather thin.. Besides sound quality, its DSEE-HX function only has on/off button, no selector for standard, male vocal, etc...

 

[Whitigir]

I was comparing it against WM1Z, WM1A and my own ZX300.. Using Z1R and Z7M2 over-the-ear headphones.. It sound rather thin..

DMP-Z1 isn’t thin sounding, especially with MDR Z1R. But thanks for the respond

 

[Jalo]

The Dmp-Z1 is on the cleaner or neutral side that is why it pairs well with phones that are warmer or with thicker sound like Z1R, Vega, Atlas, Empirean etc. I wrote earlier that the DMP-Z1 to me has a high end sound and it’s sound character is very refine.But at times it does feel like it is lacking some body to it. kaiserKT is correct in saying that the DMP is lacking of power for a semi desktop system. it is fine with most iems and many full-size headphones, but with many of the planers like LCD4, Hifiman HE1000 etc, the DMP can make them sound but not sing.

 

[Audiophile2019]

The Dmp-Z1 is on the cleaner or neutral side that is why it pairs well with phones that are warmer or with thicker sound like Z1R, Vega, Atlas, Empirean etc. I wrote earlier that the DMP-Z1 to me has a high end sound and it’s sound character is very refine.But at times it does feel like it is lacking some body to it. kaiserKT is correct in saying that the DMP is lacking of power for a semi desktop system. it is fine with most iems and many full-size headphones, but with many of the planers like LCD4, Hifiman HE1000 etc, the DMP can make them sound but not sing.

It's quite different from WM1Z & ZX300 which have warm tone..

 

[Jalo]

It's quite different from WM1Z & ZX300 which have warm tone..

Very well said. The only quality missing with the WM1Z which is the same as the DMP is the relative lower output power. The recent crop of DAPs all have much higher amping power. Like the Cayin N8, Ibasso DX220, LPGT etc. with the most rediculous one being the AK Khan Cube. The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power. In addition to these amazing driving power, the unit used for these rating is Volt per root mean square (rms), meaning that the rating refers to is average driving power and not peak or maximum power something very different from ratings that use maximum output. In other words let say if it is a 6 Vrms into 30 ohm it will have 1.2 watt but in critical moment it will actually deliver 1.7 watts of power giving much better headroom.

 

[Whitigir]

Very well said. The only quality missing with the WM1Z which is the same as the DMP is the relative lower output power. The recent crop of DAPs all have much higher amping power. Like the Cayin N8, Ibasso DX220, LPGT etc. with the most rediculous one being the AK Khan Cube. The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power. In addition to these amazing driving power, the unit used for these rating is Volt per root mean square (rms), meaning that the rating refers to is average driving power and not peak or maximum power something very different from ratings that use maximum output. In other words let say if it is a 6 Vrms into 30 ohm it will have 1.2 watt but in critical moment it will actually deliver 1.7 watts of power giving much better headroom.

Yeah, I too have been thinking that Kann Cube is pretty impressive for it driving power. Given the price, I think it is a perfect one to modify to taste and so on. The price of DMP Z1 is pretty hard to swallow, and lacking streaming capability as well

 

[Jalo]

In term of modification and given your skill, I will pay to have you put a 4.4 connector on the Khan for me,, especially when they already have a 5 pin mine xlr. Let’s don’t go OT too much.

 

[nanaholic]

The Khan Cube has 12 Vrms that is equal to a whopping 4.8 watts into 30 ohm, 3.6 watts into 40 ohm, 2.4 watts into 60 ohm and even at 100 ohm it will give 1.4 watts of driving power.

It doesn't equal to any of that - since the official spec is 12 Vrms into no load (per AK tradition, none of their output power spec has load attached). You cannot derive the other numbers by swapping the resistance number when the original spec gives no load condition which is literally a divide by zero error.

No one will know AK player's number unless they actually measure it with a load attached - AK's official spec had and still is absolutely useless yet people just keeps repeating it.

 

[Whitigir]

Ohm laws is a laws isn’t it ? Doesn’t matter what language you speak, the DMP-Z1 is not as powerful as it appear, a hybrid desktop-Portable Device. Especially when compared to KANN Cube