[Redcarmoose]

But Sony makes a boat load of consumer products. They make a bunch of $35 IEMs, $100 IEMs. They have cheap DAPs.

The 1A and 1Z might be discontinued but they will introduce something along the same level. The crazy priced $8500 DAC/amp and $2300 IEMs are simply show-off products to delineate their design savy. Sony in there time has made numerous ceiling style products; $3000 CD players https://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/sony_cdp-xa7es_cd_player/index.html all kinds of crazy stuff. It’s just that they were in the red and focusing on phones and stuff. They are back in a big way, showing imagination and focus. Be prepared for some super cool stuff. Don’t forget the other new IEMs; the M7 and M9. Also the N3 comes 4.4mm balanced sounding absolutely fantastic.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/three-brand-new-earphones-sony-ier-z1r-ier-m9-and-ier-m7.886121/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-xba-n3ap-and-xba-n1ap-—-impressions-thread.818852/page-14



If you look there is nothing to fret about.

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.

 

[nanaholic]

I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.

It won't be.
DAPs have moved from mass consumer devices to the high end enthusiaist market and Sony with its Signature Series - especially with the WM1Z - had successfully pivoted their business model from low profit high volume to high profit low volume, and their Audio Visual department is now profitable. Apple has abandon iPod Touch because the Touch is a low profit high volume market that has been folded into the smartphone market. High end DAPs are not disruptable by smartphones so it has no immediate or near danger of being phased out by all-in-one devices (think how mirrorless and DSLR camears aren't being touched by smartphone photography, while the point and shoot compacts are now extinct). Also since Sony's planets don't just make music players, the risk is further spread out as the operation of those planets don't just rely on revenue from Walkmans. So Walkmans will actually last many more years to come.

 

[Mindstorms]

guys im having an issue, cant finish creating database after restart? any ideas? wnet back to 2.0 and it created the database ok, but i was loop stuked any ideas? maybe stop messing with firmware? format player and car songs and start over? anyone else had this exprecience in 1.2???

 

[Redcarmoose]

I think these could be the last years of walkmans and MP3 players. Looks like apple will be discontinuing the iPod touch as almost everyone on the planet has an iPhone (unless apple releases one next year)
I don’t see the point of companies producing manufacturing plants just for music players. At some point it will all come down to the end.
This was suppose take off way back in 1998-2000 when MP3 were taking off but there wasn’t an idea back then about what we have now. 16 years later we get ‘signature series’ which I feel is too late of a technology for some of us who have been around.
Kids now are happy to watch/listen to music on YouTube for free. It’s all going to go downhill at some point but when is a good question.

You have a 1A right? So you probably hear that they are a whole different world in comparison to phone sound quality listening? Now yes, maybe in 10 years there will start to be really crazy high tech BT IEMs with amps and drivers that come to where we are today with our Walkmans....but for the present time the Walkman experience is special.

The magic here is that with the 1A and 1Z (as well as with a few others manufacturers DAPs) have the resulting SQ bridge the quality between desktop and portable. So in recent years this new generation of DAPs have become clear, powerful and mature. The only question is to find the tone you like. Most here like the Sony style.

The package is you can now have a set of IEMs or full-size headphones and go somewhere and have an experience equivalent-close to a home headphone system. Now also that’s not a normal home headphone system, but a really audiophile home headphone system; all in a small package.

In addition, some actually prefer the experience to a desktop home rig. So there is a value. I’ve seen a huge change since 2009. In 2009 there was a couple really great sounding systems which were moble, but nothing like what’s offered today. This technology is actually advancing fast. Stuff is slightly better than it was 10 years ago; and that’s comparing top end stuff. The mid-fi market has become sounding the way high end was 10 years ago, plus it costs a fraction and is more reliable. One of the road bumps was super-crazy-stupid user interfaces just a few years ago, but again that experience has also changed.

Here at Head-Fi you basically have two groups at the extreme and of course the regular simple bell curve of standard listening population. The extreme high edge will spend top dollar for that extra 10% of SQ. Now it may not even be there, or it’s there packaged a slightly different way, but that’s the group which will want the next 1Z. The new 1Z M2 may have faster file transfer, unlimited playlists, more power, way more storage and look pretty...etc etc.

But a 1A or 1Z will still always bridge that valley between wanting the sound quality of a desktop in an easy to use small form factor. That’s now, that’s what they did, that’s why this thread is here. And that is why even after the new models arrive, whenever they do........the 1A and 1Z will still offer a value.

 

[NaiveSound]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

 

[Redcarmoose]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

Get a 1A they are greeeat.

 

[gerelmx1986]

If the 70th anniversary signature series is being discontinued, glad I have two of the products namely that WM1A and the MDR-Z1R

 

[Lemieux66]

If the 70th anniversary signature series is being discontinued, glad I have two of the products namely that WM1A and the MDR-Z1R

I’ve got three - WM1A, TA-ZH1ES and Z1R...really glad I’ve got them. Would love to own the 1Z but just can’t justify the expense over the 1A, particularly as I use a Roon Nucleus with the TA for home listening now. I mainly use my 1A for in-car sound, plus occasional walks.

One thing’s for sure, Sony did a great job with the Signature Series components.

 

[nc8000]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

Then don’t sell it

 

[proedros]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

you should cause this is typical hybris , my friend

getting a mint 1Z for 1000$ and then selling it even though you enjoy it ?

like i said , pure hybris

 

[Redcarmoose]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

Before you sell it play a little game. Give it to someone to hold for you for two weeks; and see how you miss it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

Let me get this straight...........you have been on this thread for a year........you get a 1Z only two months ago...........and now.....you want to sell it?

 

[rcoleman1]

I'm gonna miss the 1z so much

Well for me...I bought a 1A. I liked it. After about six months I upgraded the 1A to a 1Z. Loved it. Sold it after about four months to try the DX200. Big mistake...I totally missed the 1Z sound signature, build quality and the stable UI. And my iPhone X couldn't replace it either. Bought another 1Z and I've been happy again ever since.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well for me...I bought a 1A. I liked it. After about six months I upgraded the 1A to a 1Z. Loved it. Sold it after about four months to try the DX200. Big mistake...I totally missed the 1Z sound signature, build quality and the stable UI. And my iPhone X couldn't replace it either. Bought another 1Z and I've been happy again ever since.

You don’t know what you have till it’s gone. Maybe in a couple years a brand new 1Z will fall out of the sky for 1K, for him?