[krayzie]

I actually also ordered a Sony Premium Sound SR-64HXA micro SD card on eBay a few days ago (flame suit on) but the Japanese seller just told me that there's been a recall today for defective ones:
 
http://www.sony.jp/rec-media/info/20151001.html
 
http://buzzap.jp/news/20151001-sony-premium-sound-sr-64hxa-recall/
 
Seems like the defective cards will refuse to write / delete / format, as well as skipping during use.
 
The newly corrected ones will be out in a few days. Lucky me as he was just about to ship mine out lol!

 

[echineko]

I actually also ordered a Sony Premium Sound SR-64HXA micro SD card on eBay a few days ago (flame suit on) but the Japanese seller just told me that there's been a recall today for defective ones:

http://buzzap.jp/news/20151001-sony-premium-sound-sr-64hxa-recall/

The newly corrected ones will be out in a few days. Lucky me as he was just about to ship mine out lol!

Wow, that's a gutsy purchase. I'd be interested to hear any difference from the system storage or different SD card, if you get a chance to compare

 

[Conext]

 
Got home and paired it with my trusty MDR-E484 (had to bring it out of retirement as I just don't own any other IEMs at the moment, haven't used a portable for almost 8 years) and I don't think I've ever heard dynamic range and stereo separation this amazing ever (only Dynamic Normalizer and DSEE HX on, everything else off). The burn-in is indeed real as the high end is already much more tamed with less than a dozen hours of listening thus far.
 
I honestly don't think Sony will make another Walkman this good as absolute high-end Sony models only come once in a long while.  It seems they engineered the ZX2 like how they did ES and R line audio components of past glory days.

In my estimation, that's what really sets the ZX2 apart from any other "normal" portable sources that I've tried (like phones). I really find it difficult to articulate just how much more vibrant, dynamic and "3D" the ZX2 makes certain tracks sound. I say certain tracks because it quickly becomes obvious that poorly recorded/mixed/mastered/encoded audio will stand out as flat and uninteresting on the ZX2, while others will jump out.
 
Coming from other sources (like iPod Touches, phones. etc.), those differences hardly exist at all. Pretty much everything has the same sort of dynamic range, no matter the recording/mixing/encoding methods used.

 

[kms108]

  Just bite the bullet and got a NW-ZX2 over the weekend after trying it out at Bay Bloor Radio paired with their demo Sennheiser IE800 set (I didn't even know these IEMs go for $1000CAD until I googled lol). During the demo I thought it was nothing spectacular but good enough to replace my D-555 Discman for night time home listening (I wanted convenience with my lossless library I built up over the years for my iPod Classic that I use in the car).
 
Got home and paired it with my trusty MDR-E484 (had to bring it out of retirement as I just don't own any other IEMs at the moment, haven't used a portable for almost 8 years) and I don't think I've ever heard dynamic range and stereo separation this amazing ever (only Dynamic Normalizer and DSEE HX on, everything else off). The burn-in is indeed real as the high end is already much more tamed with less than a dozen hours of listening thus far.
 
I honestly don't think Sony will make another Walkman this good as absolute high-end Sony models only come once in a long while.  It seems they engineered the ZX2 like how they did ES and R line audio components of past glory days.
 
Got to go back and demo that PHA-3 some day. Is a PHA-3 overkill to use with a pair of MDR-CD900ST or a PHA-2 is more than sufficient (what about sound quality difference)?  I tried it straight out of the ZX2 headphone out and it doesn't seem to have enough juice to drive the CD900ST properly.

 
 
It has been years since I heard someone mention about the classic D-555 and MDR E484, the best at their times, my MDR E484 died a few years ago, how does it pair with the ZX2, the MDR E484 is still available  but will need to search high and low for one.

 

[gerelmx1986]

 
 
It has been years since I heard someone mention about the classic D-555 and MDR E484, the best at their times, my MDR E484 died a few years ago, how does it pair with the ZX2, the MDR E484 is still available  but will need to search high and low for one.

I had a JVC discman that lasted from 1992 to 2010 and a pair of headphones (from my dad) didn't saw the brand on them lasted 20 yrs, My loved sony headpohnes are the XBA-A3 and as some one here said they ve using copper in the newer twop ZX series walkmen, zx2 & 100 i will pull the trigger on the ZX100 mostly because budgeting issues

 

[gerelmx1986]

 
To be honest I always have an odd feeling that Sony will soon sell off their spun-off units one by one just like what they did with VAIO.
 
Once I realized Sony is using copper again on the chassis with OS-CON caps and probably mil-grade PCB I knew I got to pull the trigger, very nostalgic.

THAT's why i got one of hte last sony VAIO models to be sold in mexico as soon i knew bye-bye to vaio news, it's been one year with it and so far love my multi-flip
 
i will get one of these "audiophile" walkmans because i fear the same thing as you, what if sony decides to dicontinue walkman in favor of smartphone user who likes to stream (in low quality spotify streams) betetr get it, so I will do next week already got the cash from my fiio x3 i sold on eBay

 

[kms108]

 

 
 
It has been years since I heard someone mention about the classic D-555 and MDR E484, the best at their times, my MDR E484 died a few years ago, how does it pair with the ZX2, the MDR E484 is still available  but will need to search high and low for one.

I had a JVC discman that lasted from 1992 to 2010 and a pair of headphones (from my dad) didn't saw the brand on them lasted 20 yrs, My loved sony headpohnes are the XBA-A3 and as some one here said they ve using copper in the newer twop ZX series walkmen, zx2 & 100 i will pull the trigger on the ZX100 mostly because budgeting issues

The ZX100 is a good choice it you don't have the budget for the ZX2, if you are after the japanese version you will have to wait, they haven't released it yet, not sure why other countries had the ZX100 released before Japan, I think this was also the same for the ZX2.
 
I have always like Sony, all my previous IEM are Sony, as for personal music players, it was Sony and Aiwa in those days.

 

[kms108]

 

 
To be honest I always have an odd feeling that Sony will soon sell off their spun-off units one by one just like what they did with VAIO.
 
Once I realized Sony is using copper again on the chassis with OS-CON caps and probably mil-grade PCB I knew I got to pull the trigger, very nostalgic.

THAT's why i got one of hte last sony VAIO models to be sold in mexico as soon i knew bye-bye to vaio news, it's been one year with it and so far love my multi-flip
 
i will get one of these "audiophile" walkmans because i fear the same thing as you, what if sony decides to dicontinue walkman in favor of smartphone user who likes to stream (in low quality spotify streams) betetr get it, so I will do next week already got the cash from my fiio x3 i sold on eBay

For Sony to sell of the Walkman brand, I doubt it will happen, walkman is their trade mark, that what brought up the portable music industry.
 
Also I think the Vaio brand is still owned by Sony.

 

[Whitigir]

I don't even know Vaio product anymore. Yes, I doubt Sony sell their Walkman division. It is one of their reputable root.

 

[kms108]

  I actually also ordered a Sony Premium Sound SR-64HXA micro SD card on eBay a few days ago (flame suit on) but the Japanese seller just told me that there's been a recall today for defective ones:
 
http://www.sony.jp/rec-media/info/20151001.html
 
http://buzzap.jp/news/20151001-sony-premium-sound-sr-64hxa-recall/
 
Seems like the defective cards will refuse to write / delete / format, as well as skipping during use.
 
The newly corrected ones will be out in a few days. Lucky me as he was just about to ship mine out lol!

I actually have one of those listed as 11544503 serial number, but haven't noticed any problem.

 

[davidmolliere]

  In my estimation, that's what really sets the ZX2 apart from any other "normal" portable sources that I've tried (like phones). I really find it difficult to articulate just how much more vibrant, dynamic and "3D" the ZX2 makes certain tracks sound. I say certain tracks because it quickly becomes obvious that poorly recorded/mixed/mastered/encoded audio will stand out as flat and uninteresting on the ZX2, while others will jump out.
 
Coming from other sources (like iPod Touches, phones. etc.), those differences hardly exist at all. Pretty much everything has the same sort of dynamic range, no matter the recording/mixing/encoding methods used.

 
Very good description of the ZX2's unique sound signature, and it's not only compared to phones or lower end DAPs but even amps like the PHA-3 (my frame of reference, never went off the deep end on amps - yet). I would say ZX2 sound has an "analogue" / organic quality to it, it's very addictive !
 
I agree it does bring out differences that I didn't hear before, depth, texture... eargasmic !
Tomorrow I'll get an upgrade cable with TRRS we'll see what it brings on top of it

 

[krayzie]

   
 
It has been years since I heard someone mention about the classic D-555 and MDR E484, the best at their times, my MDR E484 died a few years ago, how does it pair with the ZX2, the MDR E484 is still available  but will need to search high and low for one.

When I first paired them it seemed like there was no low end punch at all, as if the E484 all of a sudden became the E888 (I use the E484 from time to time on the Discman so it's not like I haven't used them for years straight). I honestly thought it wouldn't be a good match due to 30 years difference in tuning. The highs also had a weird presentation as if some keys were off a bit, hard to articulate.
 
I've never paired the E484 with my RH1 MD Walkman so I wouldn't know how a digital amp would sound with it (I should test this pairing someday with my one MD2000 disc). But after about 5 hours of use the sound started to become a bit warm again, but still none of that strong bass that I get with the D-555. The sound seems to get better day after day so I'll re-assess them again after that 100 hour burn-in. The anomaly with the highs are also gone now.
 
When I demo the ZX2 with the Senns IE800 the sound was great but then I never liked IEMs as they don't fit comfortably in my ears no matter what I do. I guess I might need to invest on a PHA-3 w/ MDR-Z7 setup next year (I'm a bit surprised Sony went with Kimber Kable for their optional balanced cord, as I ran Kimber Hero RCA cables on my Sony ES Hi-Fi setup and it gave me a background hiss so I got rid of them (so I'm wary about interference). The old Hitachi LC-OFC RCA cables I have now wouldn't have this issue (albeit a tad less transparent), but I kept the Kimber 8TC blue/black stuff for my speakers and they work great).

 

[Steven R. Rochli]

In my estimation, that's what really sets the ZX2 apart from any other "normal" portable sources that I've tried (like phones). I really find it difficult to articulate just how much more vibrant, dynamic and "3D" the ZX2 makes certain tracks sound. I say certain tracks because it quickly becomes obvious that poorly recorded/mixed/mastered/encoded audio will stand out as flat and uninteresting on the ZX2, while others will jump out.

 
Great write-up and agree. Sony is using some tweak DSP or ??? because it is doing some interesting things to the phase and whatnot. It is more obvious within my car audio system versus CIEMs, as the soundscape is more dance club-like or big concert experience than a flatter front soundstage I hear with AK and others.
 
BTW: Love using my cell ph as a hotspot with the ZX2 / app so I can stream music services in the car. And if that's not enough, via hotspot can log into my cloud server(s) and stream from them. Kinda makes the internal storage obsolete to some extent, yet not sure how much available bandwidth you have access to / want to burn through. What really blows my mind about the ZX2 is that it is so very flexible and does many things well... and has industry-leading battery life.

 

[gerelmx1986]

Hey dudes, some people are sayimg on the ZX100 forum it is cheap thing (despite it as the components of zx1 and some more enhancements) now i'm confused :S, though they dont mention SQ, only whine on no-touchscreen low-res screen and that the OSCONS are dirt cheap .....
 
I don't say A17 is bad product, it has nice SQ for a mid-tier product but IMHO i feel its made cheap, plastic and i often feel i will crack and detsroy the wm-port everytime i connect it to pc, same for headphone socket, no presure to hold the jack well as i cna disconnect it one finger (it is snug to keep steady connecton but the plastic its made feelsv like so)
 
hope ZX100 is top notch build quality as zx1 and 2 (CNC aluminum vs plastic of A10)

 

[Whitigir]

Hey dudes, some people are sayimg on the ZX100 forum it is cheap thing (despite it as the components of zx1 and some more enhancements) now i'm confused :S, though they dont mention SQ, only whine on no-touchscreen low-res screen and that the OSCONS are dirt cheap .....

I don't say A17 is bad product, it has nice SQ for a mid-tier product but IMHO i feel its made cheap, plastic and i often feel i will crack and detsroy the wm-port everytime i connect it to pc, same for headphone socket, no presure to hold the jack well as i cna disconnect it one finger (it is snug to keep steady connecton but the plastic its made feelsv like so)

hope ZX100 is top notch build quality as zx1 and 2 (CNC aluminum vs plastic of A10)

Hell...my ZX2 WM port feels like that too, and the audio jack feels like I can break it any time