[Duncan]

Can you defeat the ESP on the DE-J01?  Need to locate mine and check it.  Duncan...don't we just love this PCDP topic? 

G Protection, as it was by that point, was undefeatable, and I remember it having a pitiful amount of RAM / buffer, so it had to be compressed (wasn't it something like 384KB, but with CD playback at 150KBps meant that it was impractical to NOT be compressed??)

I need to go and hide in my cave again...

BTW, I'm warming to the ZX2, with all this talk about Sony heritage and what-not, so - maybe this is the kick that I need to get me to want a ZX2

 

[jonstatt]

  [size=12.72px] [/size]
 
My take on the ZX1 is a big sound stage, due to its thin, fast and airy sound, but the ZX1 does not have a dry sound, it is more liquid which keeps emotion in the music. The bass is not thin though, it hits hard for sure, I'm trying to wrap my head around an improved ZX1 bass on ZX2, because I already love that part. I'm sure ZX2 will improve extension, control and balance of the bass, should be quite awesome.
 
By bet is ZX2 will also increase note fullness in mids and treble without taking away speed or air and increase blackness of back round, may even increase sound stage, but because of the increase in note thickness it won't sound weird.  If what that review says is true, its improved on all areas of the ZX1 without losing any of what the ZX1 did best.
 

 
And this is where the big "??" for a ZX1 owner is. Its nearly double the price and not worth an upgrade for style, or for a memory card slot (for most people)....so the sound has to be a real step-up to make it worth it. And for that opinion we need a few more comparison reviews first I think.

 

[kms108]

Does anyone know if the HAP S1 can be used for the same purpose as the UDA 1 (for the ZX2 use), I cannot seem to find the exact detail regard this.
I have the intention to get the UDA 1, and if the HAP S1 can also be used a USB DAC, with a little more money you do get a HHD music player.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Just found this Chinese comparison between ZX2, ZX1 and AK120ii, its quite hard to understand thanks to google translate lol. I have no idea if he likes ZX2 over AK120ii or vice versa. But its obvious he likes ZX2 better than ZX1 by a fair bit.
 
"ZX2 voice ZX1 moist than too much, thickness, intensity increased dramatically, of course, if we compare the ZX1 lacks significance ... then compare the price slightly higher under AK120II, what dynamic, transient what the crap left to a professional assessment right hand, the overall quality is completely false AK120II, you will find AK120II than ZX2 heavy staining, AK120II quite like listening to live like The album, while ZX2 then the background is really good, a lot of the strong sense of the scene, the audience kind of orgasm you can feel very good location. As for the thrust is significantly larger than the ZX1 a specific number, I feel it should not exceed AK120ii."

 

[harmonix]

  Just found this Chinese comparison between ZX2, ZX1 and AK120ii, its quite hard to understand thanks to google translate lol. I have no idea if he likes ZX2 over AK120ii or vice versa. But its obvious he likes ZX2 better than ZX1 by a fair bit.
 
"ZX2 voice ZX1 moist than too much, thickness, intensity increased dramatically, of course, if we compare the ZX1 lacks significance ... then compare the price slightly higher under AK120II, what dynamic, transient what the crap left to a professional assessment right hand, the overall quality is completely false AK120II, you will find AK120II than ZX2 heavy staining, AK120II quite like listening to live like The album, while ZX2 then the background is really good, a lot of the strong sense of the scene, the audience kind of orgasm you can feel very good location. As for the thrust is significantly larger than the ZX1 a specific number, I feel it should not exceed AK120ii.

Can you post the link - we'll help you translate a bit better than Google translate can

 

[Mimouille]

The key thing for me is that I buy Sony for sexy. ZX1 was sexy as hell, ordered it without a thought among the first. This one is twice as expensive and half as sexy. To my taste of course. I is disappoint.

 

[spatzi]

Just found this Chinese comparison between ZX2, ZX1 and AK120ii, its quite hard to understand thanks to google translate lol. I have no idea if he likes ZX2 over AK120ii or vice versa. But its obvious he likes ZX2 better than ZX1 by a fair bit.

"ZX2 voice ZX1 moist than too much, thickness, intensity increased dramatically, of course, if we compare the ZX1 lacks significance ... then compare the price slightly higher under AK120II, what dynamic, transient what the crap left to a professional assessment right hand, the overall quality is completely false AK120II, you will find AK120II than ZX2 heavy staining, AK120II quite like listening to live like The album, while ZX2 then the background is really good, a lot of the strong sense of the scene, the audience kind of orgasm you can feel very good location. As for the thrust is significantly larger than the ZX1 a specific number, I feel it should not exceed AK120ii."

Moist, thickness, Heavy staining, orgasm, thrust.....

This review says it all.

 

[forper]

G Protection, as it was by that point, was undefeatable, and I remember it having a pitiful amount of RAM / buffer, so it had to be compressed (wasn't it something like 384KB, but with CD playback at 150KBps meant that it was impractical to NOT be compressed??)

That is very interesting to know. Never knew it, I always thought the SQ difference was all down to the DAC.

 

[OK-Guy]

The key thing for me is that I buy Sony for sexy. ZX1 was sexy as hell, ordered it without a thought among the first. This one is twice as expensive and half as sexy. To my taste of course. I is disappoint.

 
 
can't argue with that... where the ZX1 is the sexy lady you never forget, the ZX2 is like the fat-girlie you pull at the grab-a-grunt disco and don't tell your mates about when you're down the pub.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Can you post the link - we'll help you translate a bit better than Google translate can

http://www.erji.net/simple/index.php?t1764369.html

 

[white crow]

Main points I can pick out:

The sound is looser (more open?), but still a little muddled ("moist") and dark, but it's clearly better than the ZX1, though not as clear and transparent as AK120ii.
Compared to ZX1, ZX2 is much warmer, thicker and more impactful
ZX2 is comparable to AK120ii, especially on live tracks where the AK is more colored, and makes the tracks sound more like a studio recording than a live one. The background on the ZX2 is better, and you can feel the climaxes (I think that's where orgasm came from xD) as well as positioning.
Females vocals are more beautiful with the AK
ZX2 sounds strained with bass-heavy headphones like E800, but good with K3003, ESW9LTD and generally with IEMs and portables
Overall driving capability (thrust) is much better than ZX1, but not better than AK120ii or the "Chinese bricks" (lit.)
Good workmanship

 

[harmonix]

http://www.erji.net/simple/index.php?t1764369.html

Okay the main points I picked up were the following.

1) the unit needs 100 hours of break in due to the new caps (?). The writer listened to this thing 3 times and it was the 3rd time that things started coming together
2) There is no comparison with the zx1 - zx2 is much better
3) compared with the ak120ii you realize that the ak is colored
4) sound stage in a live recording is more realistic on the Zx2 - the live sensation is more "real"
5) power wise they wish it had more - here the ak wins
6) didn't pair well with sennheiser ie800 (?) but well with the akg3003

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

2) There is no comparison with the zx1 - zx2 is much better
 

I dont think Sony would be that silly to price ZX2 that high and make ZX1 sound better, just because they added a noticeable micro-sd slot and looks.
To me, ZX1 was too over-priced for a mere 128GB storage and looks. Looks like they tested out the product in shallow water and it worked out well and now the ZX2 is approaching deep waters and I wonder if this will be a hit or miss in the US.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

I'm liking peoples first impressions of ZX2, from 4 impressions we've read, we can gather ZX2 is noticeably better than ZX1 and AK100ii. Between AK120ii and ZX2, zeissiez commented on pg 29 that he found ZX2 with larger sound stage and more organic, which sounds very similar to the above impression from Chinese forum. So really if ZX2 is directly competing with AK120ii and even besting it in some areas, basically meaning similar SQ with different sound sigs, then it sounds like we have a winner with ZX2. Seeing as AK240 [SIZE=12.7272720336914px]and [/SIZE][SIZE=12.7272720336914px]AK120ii[/SIZE][SIZE=12.7272720336914px] [/SIZE]sound pretty much the same after the latest firmware update for AK120ii, we can say ZX2 is competing with AK240   

I personally think the large sound stage is what separates the Sony's from the rest, and now with the ZX2 we are adding in better bass, mids, treble and timbre over ZX1. I just can't wait to hear this thing.

 

[djricekcn]

there's a lot of pages to read through so just going to ask...is this DAP recommended for JPOP / Techno / Trance / Amibient / Bossanova?
 
Also, should I get the HPA1 with this if I will mainly using it with Fostex TH-900 or AKG-7xx, Shure 440, 550 and T1 (well this one of course....)?