I picked up a brand new in box HAP-Z1ES today at a great price. I followed the Internet advice and immediately upgraded firmware. I had to do this twice, as it looks like a new firmware update was added just tonight. The firmware update process was painless.
Not so much the rest of the setup. I am accustomed to issues involving network equipment, and the Sony is no different than most. It easily found my wireless networks, but the challenges were in music transfer as many have experienced. I am also using a Mac Mini. My older Mini (power PC based) was too old to run the HAP transfer software, but luckily I have a newer Mini and was able to install the software successfully.
I first opted to use wired transfer method with my router. However, the router in my music room is not connected to the Internet (I need to set it up as an access point). When I've tried to connect via wired method, I have some delay trying to detect the Sony. Once detected, I decided to transfer one music folder (e.g. Artist) at a time using the Mac HAP software, but it would just say "waiting to transfer". Trying the same thing, but this time using the wireless method, worked flawlessly, at least until my WiFi would hiccup and drop the signal, which would make the transfer stall and not complete. But, for smaller folders (like 4-12 songs), it mostly worked, if slowly.
Finally, I tried just opening up a window using Finder on the Mac, and another one for the Sony (which shows up as a drive on my Mac). It took a while to find the right folder on the Sony to copy to, but once I did, I just dragged an entire folder from my Mac External drive over to the Sony and it copied fine. What it didn't do immediately was add track information when I tried to access the transferred music on the Sony. Why? Likely because I had the Sony in "wired" mode, and it couldn't grab the Gracenote data until I switched the Sony back to wireless mode.
Most of this hassle could be avoided if my router were simply connected to the Internet, so I don't fault the Sony for my network hardware issues. And I am familiar with trouble shooting these things. I can imagine a less tech-savvy audiophile to be getting pretty cranky that it didn't "just work", not perhaps appreciating that his network really needs to be functioning as the Sony intends it, either wired (and internet connected) or wireless (and then dealing with the slower transfer speeds).
Another initial hiccup: I downloaded the iOS app for my IPad, but couldn't' get the app to work initially. The issue ended up being the need to update the firmware the second time (which I reference above), and once that was done, the app worked quite flawlessly. I like the new app's features of being able to turn DSEE and DSD conversion off and on easily.
Once I copied over the folders using "Finder", I then need only switch the Sony back to wireless network connection, and let it fetch the track data from Gracenote. It took just a while for the player to update its database, but not every track was fully tagged (about 4 didn't quite match). I'll wait till see if the Sony updates with the right track data. But it looks like the better route would be to use the HAP software if I don't want to be correcting track data. To correct the track details, you can use the iOS app and just click on "Get music info" and select the right match for the track. Total pain in the ass.
Ok, let's say I let the HAP software handle the transfer and get my router issues sorted so as not to interfere. The real question is "How does the Sony sound?" I can't answer this question fully yet. The DSD files sound very nice, clear, and compelling. The Redbook (CD) files sound nice but a bit sterile compared to the Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista Tube DAC. DSD remastering certainly sounds better with Redbook files than without it being turned on, lots of great detail.
But two things make the comparison less than fair at this stage: first, the Sony has yet to fully break in (and several commentators mentioned it takes a few days to sound its best), and second, I was running a super high quality power cord/filter (~$900) on the MF DAC and Squeezebox and from a dedicated 20a circuit, whereas the Sony has its stock wimpy power cord with no filters and plugged into a power strip. Not trying to stir up a debate on break in, but every component I've ever purchased changed sonically over 72+hours of warm up, some quite dramatically, so I'll let the Sony cook a while. Same with power cords, I have always heard a difference between stock cords and aftermarket cords.
UPDATE: DAY 2. Sound improved over the previous day. Sounded less sterile, more warmth. Detail was great, I was able to pick out some things in a few redbook recordings I hadn't noticed before (like Shawn Colvin whispering "hey" softly, just after the start of "The Facts About Jimmy." That nice amplifier fuzz on Sheryl Crow's guitar on Hard to make a Stand" has a wonderful warm tone, and the bass is a whole lotta fat fun, and the Hammond B3 has a wonderful resonance. On the MF Tri-Vista DAC, provided it has been cooking for a while to let the tubes warm up, it sounds just glorious. The Sony on Day 2 was much closer, and the base line was more detailed. A bit more dynamic, if still a touch sterile than the MF.
That was all through the Audeze cans. Switching over to the Sennheiser HD650's, the sound was nice and "juicier" than I recalled on the MF. I don't think the HD650 is the best match with tubes, as its already too dark, and the Woo favors the Audeze to my ears, but with the Sony in the mix, it did just fine.
Switching over to the Foundation Research LC1 AC cable wrought a small but noticeable improvement, mostly in clarity and further removing more of the sterile aspects of the sound. Bass felt a bit weightier than with the stock cable. Less grunge. This AC cable has a filter that is supposed to remove AC line noise, so perhaps that was what was going on.
One of my favorite classical tracks is Enrico Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold" from his soundtrack of Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It has opera, a choir, and large string and horn ensemble. The Italian imported version is sonically superior, if you are ordering the CD. I always get goosebumps with this track on a great system, and tonight was no exception. More detail was heard in the choir. Do yourself a favor and
watch this awesome Youtube version to see it performed live to understand how much is going on in the recording.