[Whitigir]

I'm still waiting for my Zx-2 , so I haven't had the chance to hear it yet, but the main reason I decided to Cancel my AK240 SS order was battery life. I feel like everyone is understating how incredibly impressive the battery life is. No other portable audio player that I know of even comes close

Exactly, even though there are people who would fought the point of "battery life" on the ZX2. But I found the ZX2 is potent enough that it can drive most IEMS and the majority of common CANS. People with more expensive CANS as HD800 or whoever loves the >200 ohms impedance CANS are more than likely prefer an amplifier anyway. The main reason why I shoot for ZX2

1/ portability
2/ Battery life
3/ Potent output
4/ Home setup for Big Cans = just an amplifier, tube or class D, or any SS

I connected my ZX2 to my amplifier to drive my 2000 watts X2 loud speakers, and my wife said "I love it" She was the one skeptical with my purchase $1200 on ZX2, mind you, she is not an audiophile.....and what is more ? When I hook it to her Lexus, she said "I love it"

 

[Conext]

I'm still waiting for my Zx-2 , so I haven't had the chance to hear it yet, but the main reason I decided to Cancel my AK240 SS order was battery life. I feel like everyone is understating how incredibly impressive the battery life is. No other portable audio player that I know of even comes close

For me, battery life has become something akin to "death by a thousand paper cuts".
 
In a vacuum, one portable device with a short battery life doesn't mean a lot. But these days, when a person might be carrying around a phone, tablet, laptop, DAP, Bluetooth headset, mifi, smartwatch, etc., poor battery life on ALL of those devices really takes its toll. One could be caught in a perpetual state of charging something at any given moment during the day.
Having gone from an iPod Touch, which could allow me to go 7-10 days between charges, to a ZX1 which only allowed me to go 3-4 days, it was "the straw that broke the camels back".
 
So when Sony announced the ZX2 had double the battery life of the ZX1, plus SD storage, plus improved sound quality, it was very nearly a no-brainer for me. I say very nearly because, well...that price has a tendency to compel one to stop and think.

 

[Whitigir]

Oh, and what else ? The body of the ZX2 is like a metal brick, you can not pierce it, or the battery...which everybody have known, lithium battery will burn and or explode when pierced.

Well, unless, in case you or someone else decide to put a bullet through it

 

[goodvibes]

   
Hey there Goodvibes, thanks for bringing up the thread for better clarity.
Here is the page where I posted the very favourable initial impression of the ZX2.
 
I do still adore the ZX2 very much, and to be honest, ZX2 has a very different signature compared to AK240 or DX100.
ZX2 is a rather musical DAP that allows one to just enjoy the music, while DAPs like AK240, DX100 and Lotoo Paw Gold are more clinical in nature.

Interesting as I don't find the AK240 clinical with good HiDef files. Viva la difference

 though not having heard a ZX-2, I can't say that we differ.

 I'll need to hear one at some point. Don't know where the Paw Gold will settle in other than already knowing it's a great device. I do know that if you want a more colorful presentation, high gain sounds more round and not at all clinical with IEMs...so far.. as it's only got 2 days on it. I suspect that with the higher impedance cans that the high gain setting is able to drive that character will be less so. I'm sticking with low gain on the IEMs and Grados I'm using at the moment and personally prefer that setting on these lower impedance devices at this stage of run in.

 

[carl99]

I know, I am also happy with the soundquality of WIMP, that is the reason why I want a better player to justify this quality, altrough my Apple gear combined with a Grado GR10 does already a fairly great job,you mean the AK240? Even when, 2500 Euro is to expensive. The Calyx M is probalby great and in the same price range as the Sony but also without WiFi.

Yes, I have the AK 240, and, as someone on this thread said, where the 240 is analytical, the zx2 is musical. I wholeheartedly agree!

 

[Joe-Siow]

 
Interesting as I don't find the AK240 at all clinical. Viva la difference

 though not having heard a ZX-2 I can't say that we differ.

 
Give it a listen when it's available on your side. I enjoyed my 75 minutes with it. I'm sure you will too!

 

[soundblast75]

Hey there Goodvibes, thanks for bringing up the thread for better clarity.
Here is the page where I posted the very favourable initial impression of the ZX2.

I do still adore the ZX2 very much, and to be honest, ZX2 has a very different signature compared to AK240 or DX100.
ZX2 is a rather musical DAP that allows one to just enjoy the music, while DAPs like AK240, DX100 and Lotoo Paw Gold are more clinical in nature.

I agree, a good way of putting it
Ps. What i meant was i agree about AK and Ibasso,Paw but haven't yet heard Zx2 coz its still stuck in customs, it'll be next week the earliest

 

[willyvlyminck]

Yes, I have the AK 240, and, as someone on this thread said, where the 240 is analytical, the zx2 is musical. I wholeheartedly agree!

Oh well, you don't need to learn an old dog new tricks. Remember the ninetees where Sony did have some of the very best gear in their ES line-up, those cd players today have an almost mythical reputation to collectors and musicfans. So, I don't doubt the player is good and reliable.

 

[soundblast75]

Oh well, you don't need to learn an old dog new tricks. Remember the ninetees where Sony did have some of the very best gear in their ES line-up, those cd players today have an almost mythical reputation to collectors and musicfans. So, I don't doubt the player is good and reliable.

Point is totally wrong, Sony has done nothing for over 2 decades to recreate its old glory, non of these new players sounds as good as my DD9 Walkman or d25 Discman, thats only a personal opinion, its too obvious unless one grew up with ipods which would be sad!
I truly believe zx2 is great for what its meant to do which is improve upon you phone sq and play high res (again something a samsung phone can do for example) but Sony charges way too much these days for things that are modern but arguably don't sound as good as their best day's achievements.

 

[danlevy]

  Even my FiiO x1 is Mac friendly in this way , I can transfer all my downloads to the FiiO, or do you mean something else with Max friendly? 

Sure, I can transfer all my downloads to the NW-ZX2 from my Mac, but I can't edit them from the Mac once they are on the device.  In iTunes I can go into an iPod or iPhone and correct spelling errors, delete stuff, and generally edit any audio file's data as if it were still on my Mac.  And it appears that the Windows software for the NW-Z2 allows you to do that on the NW-ZX2...but you can't do it on a Mac!  So...that what I mean by not exactly Mac friendly.

 

[bmichels]

Yes, I have the AK 240, and, as someone on this thread said, where the 240 is analytical, the zx2 is musical. I wholeheartedly agree!

 
OK, but....
 
with my LCD-X or ED5, the ZX2 will need an external AMP ! right ?  
 
So, if I add my HUGO to the ZX2, then... I will not be able to enjoy the "musical" signature of the ZX2 ! right ?

 

[carl99]

OK, but....

with my LCD-X or ED5, the ZX2 will need an external AMP ! Iright ?  

So, if I add my HUGO to the ZX2, then... I will not be able to enjoy the "musical" signature of the ZX2 ! right ?

 

[carl99]

I don't need my PHA3 with the ZX2...I think this is highly subjective and would hesitate to advise you to commit without having some way to hear first or change your mind later...but for me, it works well.

 

[bmichels]

I don't need my PHA3 with the ZX2...I think this is highly subjective and would hesitate to advise you to commit without having some way to hear first or change your mind later...but for me, it works well.

with what type of Headphone ? with a LCD-X ?

 

[carl99]

with what type of Headphone ? with a LCD-X ?

With AKG3003 or OppoPM2 and, hopefully,
JH Audio Layla.