[nc8000]

Does the cradle beat using the dedicated Walkman connection on the TA-ZH1ES?

Yes

 

[Vitaly2017]

oohhh those sexy nipples

 

[Lookout57]

Does the cradle beat using the dedicated Walkman connection on the TA-ZH1ES?

Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.

Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:

PC (USB-B):
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384/705.6/768 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2/22.4 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit)

WALKMAN:
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6 MHz(1 bit)

So for the best performance you should go dock and Audioquest Carbon USB

 

[captblaze]

After a fun day of trying out a new toy, boredom set in and i decided to pull out the 1A and downgraded the firmware to v2.0. since i dont need the usb dac function nor the other things v3x brings i thought what the heck.

didnt take long to realize i like the bass punch v2.0 has over higher versions. granted this is using one set of IEMs, but it is the best set i own and my primary IEM (for now). hopefully my lesser IEMs sound good also

 

[Redcarmoose]

Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.

Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:

PC (USB-B):
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384/705.6/768 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2/22.4 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit)

WALKMAN:
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6 MHz(1 bit)

So for the best performance you should go dock and Audioquest Carbon USB

What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?

But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?

Strangely now the MDR is way way better than the IER-Z1R, yet I’ve had the IER-Z1R for a full year and never felt that way?

I’ve never heard a system sound so different in my entire life, and I have no idea why?

 

[hshock76]

What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?

But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?

Strangely now the MDR is way way better than the IER-Z1R, yet I’ve had the IER-Z1R for a full year and never felt that way?

I’ve never heard a system sound so different in my entire life, and I have no idea why?

TBH, I just had exactly the same experience like you which started 2 weeks back. I have not touched the Tazzy and MDR for a while due to travels and only started listening to them again when the Kimber Axios Copper arrived. And wow what an experience. Maybe I’ve been on the IER-Z1R for too long a stretch and the MDR sounds fresh now. But it’s been 2 weeks and I still prefer the headphones at this point. I’m not sure how much is contributed by the Kimber Axios but who cares when u can have so much joy just listening to music. I can’t write as well as you to describe my experience and I’m glad you have given your feedback and I could not agree more!

 

[Redcarmoose]

TBH, I just had exactly the same experience like you which started 2 weeks back. I have not touched the Tazzy and MDR for a while due to travels and only started listening to them again when the Kimber Axios Copper arrived. And wow what an experience. Maybe I’ve been on the IER-Z1R for too long a stretch and the MDR sounds fresh now. But it’s been 2 weeks and I still prefer the headphones at this point. I’m not sure how much is contributed by the Kimber Axios but who cares when u can have so much joy just listening to music. I can’t write as well as you to describe my experience and I’m glad you have given your feedback and I could not agree more!

I know, but the difference is I have changed vary little. I did move a computer power cord from being plugged in next to where I plug in the TA and physically move the cable away from being near my power cord. My power cord is fairly exotic with small thin ribbons of solid gold placed inside expanded plastic balloons so the gold ribbons are suspended; with the whole thing wrapped in EMF paper.

But I’m an IEM listener? The only reason I had the MDR was as a test to make sure I was not missing anything. My God? The MDR head-stage is so much more natural and detailed than the cramped and un natural IER. Reverberations are now truly spectacular?? There is no way the IER ever gets close to this style of lifelike reverberations? Wild?

 

[Jauregui7]

Absolutely as the dock is active. Whitigir posted details on what was in the dock way back in this thread. Plus using the Audioquest Carbon USB is an improvement over the flimsy WALKMAN port cable.

Also check the supported resolutions for each port on the TA:

PC (USB-B):
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384/705.6/768 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2/22.4 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit)

WALKMAN:
PCM 2ch; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/352.8/384 kHz (16/24/32 bit) DSD 2ch Native; 2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz (1 bit) DSD 2ch DoP; 2.8/5.6 MHz(1 bit)

So for the best performance you should go dock and Audioquest Carbon USB

Thanks for this information, never paid attention to the specs of the TA in the Walkman port, now I know better, I'll also look for those early posts from Whitgir on the dock!

 

[Jauregui7]

What’s really fascinating is coming back to the MDR-Z1R-TA-Dock-1Z combo after a long break. During the break only the 1Z and various IEMs were used. Nothing was changed or moved, but somehow the MDR-Z1R sounds more midrange and detailed. I can’t get over how diminished the bass is? The only other causing factor would be listening to Piston Youth Edition IEM with an IPod out and about; which is extremely bass heavy?

But it really sounds like a new system in an amazing and good way. The MDR-Z1R has never sounded better? The sub-bass now resides in the most out of the way audiophile place like really good sub-woofers in a room. An expanded and natural fully detailed midrange takes the show, yet vocals can still sit exactly where I remember which of course is ever so slightly back from many listens available. With the bass where it is now the treble also has a very forward presentation where it’s fully expanded in detail and bordering on bright but never quite there. It’s not that the MDR is lacking bass, it’s just that the lows have been surgically taken apart and displayed in an amazing spectrum of delineation and clarity. I know my city has been placing power conditioners on the individual power poles now, so maybe that’s the explanation?

Strangely now the MDR is way way better than the IER-Z1R, yet I’ve had the IER-Z1R for a full year and never felt that way?

I’ve never heard a system sound so different in my entire life, and I have no idea why?

Loved the way you described the sound you experienced out of your setup, now I can't wait to get my hands on a 1Z! The Axios Cu are out of my league (for now) so the Sony branded Kimber Kable for the Z1R will have to do for the time being... I had a hard time justifying my need of a WM to my wife, now I'll have to throw in a dock and usb cable to the mix, she'll understand...

 

[Redcarmoose]

Whitgir

The only reason I have my set-up is due to Whitgir. I just went along with the rig he had at the time. After adding the dock it became noticeable as an improvement, then he talked about the USB filters, which explained why stuff was different. The TA is inherently dark for some of my IEMs, but always adds a special blackness to the background the 1Z never is able to do alone. There is something about the MDR-Z1R which never shows that smoothness as too smooth? It simply comes out perfect with the added treble detail due to the dock and AQCarbon? It’s like this spacious midrange which goes out forever holding the exact technicality and separated musical timbre; it’s so real?

 

[Redcarmoose]

Loved the way you described the sound you experienced out of your setup, now I can't wait to get my hands on a 1Z! The Axios Cu are out of my league (for now) so the Sony branded Kimber Kable for the Z1R will have to do for the time being... I had a hard time justifying my need of a WM to my wife, now I'll have to throw in a dock and usb cable to the mix, she'll understand...

The dock and 1Z as a source along with the Carbon is most likely a complete reducing of both USB noise and correct timing, in contrast to a computer. Meaning noise and timing are everything? When things are locked timing wise stuff gets clearer and more real, add the noise reduction and it’s even more noticeable?

 

[ttt123]

I know, but the difference is I have changed vary little. I did move a computer power cord from being plugged in next to where I plug in the TA and physically move the cable away from being near my power cord. My power cord is fairly exotic with small thin ribbons of solid gold placed inside expanded plastic balloons so the gold ribbons are suspended; with the whole thing wrapped in EMF paper.

I have a Consonance CD player, which has a tube stage. I did some simple experimentation on it (this is many years ago). I physically moved (spread) the wires going to the tube socket, isolating the heater wires from the signal wires, and also wrapped some copper foil around the individual signal leads, with the idea of reducing noise. As all this was non-destructive, and cheap to do, I like this kind of mod. Just costs some time, and not much else.

End result was a noticeable effect on the sound. To me, this was a confirmation of how any reduction of noise is worthwhile, and how great an impact noise has.

Your moving the power cords is similar to what I did with the tube wires....

 

[Whitigir]

To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses.
Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?

 

[Redcarmoose]

To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses.
Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?

No?

 

[captblaze]

To people who reported that at volume 80-120 balanced out and not playing music,there is popping sound and hisses.
Does it still happening with IER-Z1R ?

WM-1A firmware 2.0 / Moondrop S8 16 ohm 122db

can here clicks as volume rises and lowers above 80 with little to no hiss

Update - both high and low gain (clicks louder in high gain)