[Redcarmoose]

has near life-like realism

 

[Whitigir]

has near life-like realism

Most upper tier desktop system can achieve this. But when we get into a proper upper tier desktop setup, there are more nit-picks to pick them apart. Simply throw out Near life-like realism doesn’t do any good. If it can’t even out perform SP1000 or even only 5% away, that would be a shame

 

[Wiz33]

I guess this is a technology demo showing what can be done that manufacturer usually just kept in house but they decided to make it commercially available. Guess it's just like the $10000 gaming laptop that Acer produced last year with a 21" curved Ultrawide screen and dual GTX1080 in SLI.

 

[raypin]

Mm...skip to 1:29:



Can someone translate?

 

[Wiz33]

Mm...skip to 1:29:



Can someone translate?

Just repeating Sony's spec PR from the conference, no listening impressions.

 

[nanaholic]

Is this thing way too expensive - heck yeah x 100.
Will I ever buy it - no fing way.
Do we even know who this is for - no idea, apparently not the engineers themselves too, at least that's my impression.
However just like Suyama-san of Fitear said on Twitter - that's what makes it interesting. Exactly, where's the fun and innovation if everything you do is so by the rule books. And I'd also be lying if I say it wasn't one of the best pairing with the MDR-Z1R I've head thus far.

Just talking with Sato-san and picking his brains on this device results in so many tasty nuggets - take the volume knob. So this is the first time they're experimenting with using "exotic" analog volume pods, originally they were thinking of sticking with tried and true digital control but though "why not?" and here it is. I took this a step further and asked him does that mean the next Walkman will feature an analog volume pod? His answer was "nah, it doesn't have any effect in a portable, by the way did you know there is no dedicated digital audio volume control chip? That's wrong, I'm gonna see if we can get some fabricated so we can use them.". This is why I love talking to Sato-san, he's crazy, but in the good way.

 

[Whitigir]

Funny, RK50 is known for it quality and performance, Sony never known this ? Lol...also, there are DACT and gold point which is cheaper but just as good performances

 

[PCheung]

You can really feel his passion while talking with sato-san.

 

[nanaholic]

Funny, RK50 is known for it quality and performance, Sony never known this ? Lol...also, there are DACT and gold point which is cheaper but just as good performances

They know it by reputation, but they never used it in their own products nor has first hand experience in its effects, there's a difference. Everyone knows a decade ago Sony wasn't making any system that costs enough to justify having a 800 dollar knob on it and they keep making their stuff cheaper, in that sort of work environment I don't think you can get away with asking for the budget to test these things.

 

[Wiz33]

Funny, RK50 is known for it quality and performance, Sony never known this ? Lol...also, there are DACT and gold point which is cheaper but just as good performances

Knowing that something is good doesn't really tells you much about the manufacturing process or any pitfall you may encounter along the way. Sony was probably exploring the possibility on using something like this in future product and they do not want to depend on an outside source for the component so they decided to look into doing it themself.

 

[Wiz33]

Is this thing way too expensive - heck yeah x 100.
Will I ever buy it - no fing way.
Do we even know who this is for - no idea, apparently not the engineers themselves too, at least that's my impression.
However just like Suyama-san of Fitear said on Twitter - that's what makes it interesting. Exactly, where's the fun and innovation if everything you do is so by the rule books. And I'd also be lying if I say it wasn't one of the best pairing with the MDR-Z1R I've head thus far.

Just talking with Sato-san and picking his brains on this device results in so many tasty nuggets - take the volume knob. So this is the first time they're experimenting with using "exotic" analog volume pods, originally they were thinking of sticking with tried and true digital control but though "why not?" and here it is. I took this a step further and asked him does that mean the next Walkman will feature an analog volume pod? His answer was "nah, it doesn't have any effect in a portable, by the way did you know there is no dedicated digital audio volume control chip? That's wrong, I'm gonna see if we can get some fabricated so we can use them.". This is why I love talking to Sato-san, he's crazy, but in the good way.

Yea, so as I said. It a technology demo where they throw everything including the kitchen sink at it and see what they can come up with. It's just that they decided to make it commercially available. Acer told me the same thing about the Predator 21X, it's a design exercise and a PR tech demo, knowing that they may never recoup the development cost or make any profit from it.

 

[PCheung]

I remember the name QUALIA while I listen to DMP-Z1

Good looking device, overpriced, low price–performance ratio and a testbed for Sony latest tech and development.

 

[nanaholic]

Yea, so as I said. It a technology demo where they throw everything including the kitchen sink at it and see what they can come up with. It's just that they decided to make it commercially available. Acer told me the same thing about the Predator 21X, it's a design exercise and a PR tech demo, knowing that they may never recoup the development cost or make any profit from it.

Yeah it's really not hard to see that. Everything they use in the Z1 is new and never tested, the new FT caps, the new OS-cons, new lead-free gold solder, new treatment process for the aluminium chassis, they just went crazy with it. After the success of the Signature Series they probably won over the new management to go all out to test new components, production methods and techniques and hope to learn new things where they can then apply to more "affordable" creations (*cough* a true WM1Z successor *cough*). Case in point, they've learnt that the S-Master power output is currently limited, so they'll have to make a new one, Sato-san found out there's not dedicated digital volume control chip, and he's off to do something about it. And they are learning about how to improve their power delivery circuitry first hand, by focusing on using batteries which they can they feed the knowledge gained back into portable use etc. While it doesn't mean much to us users at the moment, these lessons are valuable for the engineers and hopefully will lead to something better for us too down the line.

 

[raypin]

Mm..so that makes 2 to confirm that the Z1R and Z1 are MFEO. Great news for a Z1R owner like me. But my next ask is...can it beautifully drive the HD 820 (which comes with its own 4.4 mm balanced cable)? I have an incoming unit this August. I’d primarily pair this with top tier closed backs and CIEMs,

 

[purk]

I hope Sony will demo the DMP-Z1 side by side with the TA-ZH1ES with ZX300 as transport..so a direct comparison can be made.

They know it by reputation, but they never used it in their own products nor has first hand experience in its effects, there's a difference. Everyone knows a decade ago Sony wasn't making any system that costs enough to justify having a 800 dollar knob on it and they keep making their stuff cheaper, in that sort of work environment I don't think you can get away with asking for the budget to test these things.

They need to go back and study their heritage. The RK50 was used in the TA-ER1 in 1989.

http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TA-ER1.html

Couple of my amps have the RK50 and they are indeed is heavenly! Search Headroom Balanced Max and you will see that Headroom featured the RK50 in their maxed out version of their amp in 2006. Headamp.com also offer the RK50 in their BHSE too.