[Cecala]

  I noticed that Crutchfield charges $209.99 for the SquareTrade 3 year drops and spills coverage... Amazon sells the same thing, right on the NW-ZX2 page as an add in, for $98.57.  
 
Though Amazon says it's shipping  in 2-4 weeks, they are definitely shipping as they get inventory.
 
I got my NW-ZX2 from Amazon on Monday and am loving it...it is truly a densely magical object.  I wish it were a bit more Mac-friendly (like being able to edit metadata that is already on the device), but it is vastly more Mac-friendly than Sony devices of the past.
 
 
Here's the link: http://amzn.to/1BPSflS

You know the rules, review it with comparisons to all your gear or we don't believe you have it.

 

[goodvibes]

Can't help it if people have s&@t for ears....

240 is great for audiophiles.
Zx2 is great for music lovers ...

Do you own both? Seems like a new mantra of semantics. I certainly have no issue what anyone prefers but that's the sort of ad hype that comes from marketeers. How does one define something like that besides in a very personal non-universal way?

 

[goodvibes]

 
The reality is that not to many people have heard the ZX2 in a proper setting, it just came out! There are very few out there that can really have a trustworthy opinion about it.
Just by the tone of the post and because he owns a dx100, I call this BS

You may want to read the entire thread. He's also a zx-1 owner and quite liked the zx-2 but it just wasn't his fav. One post in a vacuum like that link doesn't give the full story. http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/headphones-earphones-portable-media-devices-314/%5Bnews%5D-you-can-pre-order-nw-zx2-high-resolution-walkman-today-4952836-14.html Like any threds of this nature, you'll find differing opinions. Any review is just another's opinion and welcome. 

 

[danlevy]

You know the rules, review it with comparisons to all your gear or we don't believe you have it.

Ha!  Well, I am not ready to review it!  Especially because I had to send my PHA-3 in for service...yes, after two months of wonderful performance, one day the amp just suddenly would not output at all, not through simple or balanced headphone outputs, not through Line Out, tried with multiple headphone and source combinations...nada!  So, back to the Sony service company up in East Syracuse.  I hope they just replace it with a new one...not unlikely, since the first thing I heard from the service co. was that the technician was unfamiliar with the unit and had to bring in the supervisor.  For all I know they'll never even figure out how to open it up, throw in the towel and tell Sony to send me a new one while they figure out how to service them.
 
As a result, I can't test the NW-ZX2 with my amp and either of my phones with balanced cables (SE846 and MDR-z7) (yes, I could put the single ended cables back on but then I wouldn't be able to compare the phones with my memory of them with the PHA-3 and the iPod Classic).  
 
So, I have listened to the NW-ZX2 with my trusty 15-year-old and just marvelous Etymotic ER4s and my cheap but surprisingly good NAD VISO HP50s, and...yeah!  If the NW-ZX2 sounds as good as it does with these phones, I can't wait to hear them with the Shures and Sonys and with the PHA-3.
 
Now, can I clink my beer stein with you??

 

[Joe-Siow]

  You may want to read the entire thread. He quite liked it but just wasn't his fav. One post in a vacuum like that link doesn't give the full story. http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/headphones-earphones-portable-media-devices-314/%5Bnews%5D-you-can-pre-order-nw-zx2-high-resolution-walkman-today-4952836-14.html Like any threds of this nature, you'll find differing opinions. Any review is just another's opinion and welcome. 

 
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.

 

[carl99]

The last few days, I've been listening through, amongst others, my AKG 3003s, with and without the PHA3, and I must say (and this is just me talking) that the sound seems so much purer and subtler, with all of the decays and tonalities that I so much cherish, with just the NW ZX2 and nothing else. I listen to TIDAL streaming as well as what Ive got stored on the device, and I am really pleased.
I've been thinking I might order the Laylas: any comments??

 

[willyvlyminck]

  I noticed that Crutchfield charges $209.99 for the SquareTrade 3 year drops and spills coverage... Amazon sells the same thing, right on the NW-ZX2 page as an add in, for $98.57.  
 
Though Amazon says it's shipping  in 2-4 weeks, they are definitely shipping as they get inventory.
 
I got my NW-ZX2 from Amazon on Monday and am loving it...it is truly a densely magical object.  I wish it were a bit more Mac-friendly (like being able to edit metadata that is already on the device), but it is vastly more Mac-friendly than Sony devices of the past.
 
 
Here's the link: http://amzn.to/1BPSflS

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? 

 

[RDTexan]

 
I just had another thought, off course this applies using the Sony Audio player. If using Poweramp or Neutron or whatever then the outcome could be different or 'better'.

Yes could be but I tried a few and hit a wall on DSD files and some 24-96 FLAC files where Sony player has no issues, it was definitely designed for those of us with high bit-rate files. 
 
Other players function at a basic level but I think the hardware is not standard Android stuff, some of the equalizer and processing options are not available in the non-Sony players such as Mplayer, PlayerPro, etc.
 
I usually disable all enhancements except add a little on the low end but I am really hooked on the ClearAudio+ and how it restores fidelity with MP3 files and makes FLAC shine...can't find a track so far where I would prefer it disabled.  Sony did a good job on the soundstage environments also and I have not found any other features missing to make me look for an alternative.  Their DLNA implementation is great and works for DSD/DSF files of maximum bit-rate on the NAS.

 

[willyvlyminck]

 
The last few days, I've been listening through, amongst others, my AKG 3003s, with and without the PHA3, and I must say (and this is just me talking) that the sound seems so much purer and subtler, with all of the decays and tonalities that I so much cherish, with just the NW ZX2 and nothing else. I listen to TIDAL streaming as well as what Ive got stored on the device, and I am really pleased.
I've been thinking I might order the Laylas: any comments??

Tidal is a part of WIMP, does it offer also HiFi quality streaming and if yes ,is that the one you use? I stream Wimp on my iPhone/ iPod Touch, so I wonder how the sound improvement is with the Zx2, as after all,this is a fairly expensive playtoy.Beside streaming I listen to my own cd´s I transfered via iTunes, and the occasional FLAC.

 

[carl99]

Tidal is a part of WIMP, does it offer also HiFi quality streaming and if yes ,is that the one you use? I stream Wimp on my iPhone/ iPod Touch, so I wonder how the sound improvement is with the Zx2, as after all,this is a fairly expensive playtoy.Beside streaming I listen to my own cd´s I transfered via iTunes, and the occasional FLAC.

Yes; if you stream with Chrome as your browser, you get red book CD quality HiFi streaming on TIDAL, and to my ears, it sounds great.
That is indeed the prime reason why I got the Sony; it goes on wifi while the 240 doesn't.

 

[willyvlyminck]

Yes; if you stream with Chrome as your browser, you get red book CD quality HiFi streaming on TIDAL, and to my ears, it sounds great.
That is indeed the prime reason why I got the Sony; it goes on wifi while the 240 doesn't.

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.

 

[IaHawkeye]

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

 

[willyvlyminck]

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

The ZX1 comes now at 549 Euro in Germany and 1200 Euro for the ZX2, so I am looking forward to your experience once you have it

 

[Conext]

 
The last few days, I've been listening through, amongst others, my AKG 3003s, with and without the PHA3, and I must say (and this is just me talking) that the sound seems so much purer and subtler, with all of the decays and tonalities that I so much cherish, with just the NW ZX2 and nothing else. I listen to TIDAL streaming as well as what Ive got stored on the device, and I am really pleased.
I've been thinking I might order the Laylas: any comments??

It's interesting that you say that. Because one of the most consistently obvious and surprising aspects that I constantly notice with the ZX2 is it's ability to reproduce the inherent reverb and echo in a given track (no post-processing effects).
 
Granted, that sort of thing is a small detail. But I think it's analogous to watching a favorite movie in 1080p for the first time, after a lifetime of watching it on a VHS tape. The movie isn't any different, obviously. But in 1080p, you start to spot things that you never noticed before, like the name printed on a magazine in the background, or the subtle look on a character's face during a long shot.

 

[Gadget67]

Can't help it if people have s-)

Do you own both? Seems like a new mantra of semantics. I certainly have no issue what anyone prefers but that's the sort of ad hype that comes from marketeers. How does one define something like that besides in a very personal non-universal way?

Well, the AK 240 certainly targets audiophiles. I've researched the AK 240 extensively and just based on the number of accessories, special editions like the blue note edition, AK headphones, charger bases, etc the clear target is audiophiles, very serious hobbyists, gear sluts and the relatively well-heeled. The ZX2, while not inexpensive seems to have a somewhat broader appeal with additional functionality (music services, games etc). How each one sounds is the subjective part but early reviews of the ZX2 seem very favorable. I'm sure we will be hearing lots more as the ZX2 gets into user hands. Mine will be here tomorrow from Crutchfield and I am very anxious to see how it meets my needs!