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I contacted them about the new hi res cradle thing and they took two weeks to answer my question, essentially no they aren't getting it for Canada at least. I wonder if this is why the zx1 wont do that new update? Either way how are people enjoying this new device? God I am so tempted but $1344(shipping handling, environmental fee (LOL)) is a lot of crackers.
I believe mine is fully burn-in as I no longer hear the changes anymore...150 hours already or so . This is the first high resolution portable walkman I have ever owned ....if you want to count several tape walkman, cd walkman 15-17 years ago ....which I can't even remember the sound signatures
For all that said, I can compare this little guy to my full high resolution stereo in my house of 2000 watt speakers Each x2 .....it is not expensive, but it took all of my enthusiasm and experiences into it, and for that I can try to give you some impressions if you like ? My system is also set for karaoke also I love music that much.
I can give a long and shot version of the impressions....but short impressions here
ZX2 plays very well on those subtles notes, timbres, and instruments tones, sometimes I can find the instruments resonances played through it.
Long version
Lows.....to say ZX2 play the music with the powerful lows, authority beats...I say authority because as you already know, different powers applied on a drum will have different sounds.....pardon my English....very natural in the lows spectrum.....it makes the job to pick out different beats, drums, and power of kicks or hand swings easily observable....it is that much of quality bass. In no ways it is bloated, artificial, cold, thin.....nothing of short......it will just jaw drops on the floor when you hear the kick drum and the hand drum distinctively differentiate each other .....and when you read this sentence, your imagination do it no justice ! Go kick a drum....listen to it, you will hear the house resonances from the drum....now imagine this realistic beats, filtered out the house resonances, with the power being enigeered and applied into the mix....that is it !
Mids.....spacious....airy...as you already knows, mids spectrum is where everything is being mashed together....so....why did I say spacious and airy ? because instruments layers and tones plays out too well....imagine a guitar vs electric guitar...vs violin....etc...if you can have those 3 in a song....you can totally tell which is which....all the extensions, decays, details are well layered, which contribute into a very spaciously soundstage.....it is as details as that you can pick out the figure of the notes from a guitar....like I said, when you hit it with weaker hit, it sounds weaker, and harder it will sound louder....despite being engineered, but the engineer will have to leave this part somewhat ....because it is the emotion, the souls, the feeling of each instruments, singer, song ? Correct ? I call it the "authority"........Gourd Lute, Flute, Violin...trumpets.....everything is distinctively differentiate from each other !!!
Gourd lute is a unique instrument with a Single string, but produce beautiful musics...well strings instruments are tricky in general to reproduce . It is totally unique in it own right, and easily be mistaken for a violin or Guzheng in some lower quality system, but ZX2 tell it differences from Violin and Guzheng , guitars....etc... ...follow the link and check it out
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SQwL2ApKRAA&list=PLJAy5H3qnof1uBrDzzuNKUem0YJUbD76v
Highs....airy !!! Open!!! Full body and extensions.....again, with the authority, you can tell the power the hand swings is being applied...imagine...it is as good as a hand swing cymbals can be picked out from the drum kick cymbals .... Amazing ? I thought so
****usually**** most sound systems can only produce 2 out of 3 spectrums well....low/mid/high.....and I meant the quality of how organic and natural the sounds can be....ZX2 does it all ....Hah!
Together with everything playing....sit back, relax, stop analyzing....you can melt your emotions and blend it with the song, you can try and imagine that you understand the emotions the engineers and artists are composing into your song.....
After listening experience, I found myself very satisfied, with ZX2 I hear instruments, I hear emotions, I hear the soul of the track....and no longer just bass....mids....highs...vocals....not just "sound" but "realistic notes, tones, instruments, vocals....etc" in the track...
Picture of EQ for TTPOD T2
It is neither bright nor warm....just right ! That you don't really need to EQ anything....unless your IEMS is low quality....and or your taste different...but the EQ is there even though you can play around with it, it will rarely disturb other frequencies....the only thing that can be found in loud stereo setup only !
***Conclusion*** Sound quality vs price ? Too cheap....it is portable....it is small....it last for a long time on battery....and it brings the experience of high end loud systems..or the quality of a live concert.....if you love live concert, you already know how expensive it is and you can not bring it home ....now with ZX2 you can....buy the albums...voila, you are in again
The sources that I use
1/ zx2 no amp
2/ JVC Fx750
3/ TTPOD T2
4/ briefly experienced Fidue A83
***flac 16/44.1 and HR 24/96 Dvd and bluray ripped***
Picture of a song I ripped from Bluray collections in HR format, and used MP3 tag to categorize it
My favorite IEMS now ? TTPOD T2 with vents mod (reduce the vent size of both vents and Sony hybrid tips) that organic sounds, sexy vocals and some bass EQ ! And if I want to feel the bass ? FX750 and that organic sounds ! ....boom boom and bang bang....a lot of it ....soundstage ....pardon me, I am still seeking for the best IEMS match for ZX2 ......sigh....
DSEE HX will also convert CD quality 16/44.1 into higher resolution as close to 16-24/48-96 or so....there is an audible different with it being on and off when I play 16/44.1 it became leaner with more mid-high and high
Dynamic Normalizer will make the output louder, but it will distort some songs....I recommend not to use them. Probably a software issue
The interface and Android is smooth, and responsive ....well some lag here and there, but not bad . Battery life is excellent....I can play 16/44.1 and HR all day and night
Love it !!! Totally worth the money, and I can bring all my collections with me, instead of only be able to listen to it at the house only !
****Disclaimer**** I am no engineer of any short, just a long time of audio enthusiasms, and I will only learn as much as I proceed....my taste is of an individual consumer only, and not professional of short....I enjoy varieties of genres except "Rap"...no offend, but to me they are not music ...Sony did not pay me anything to make this review happened.....I only did it out of my heart and love for music.....I thank you Sony for producing something as awesome as Nw- ZX2