[Partlys4int]

I personally love the enhancement options.

I like them natural: boobs and music

 

[Tennant]

Has it been established yet whether the ZX300 can fully decode MQA files when either streaming Tidal Masters files or downloading/caching Tidal Masters? There seems to be number of mentions of MQA on this thread, but no definitive answer.

I’m keen to purchase a high end DAP, but only if it fully supports MQA.

 

[Bepli]

Has it been established yet whether the ZX300 can fully decode MQA files when either streaming Tidal Masters files or downloading/caching Tidal Masters? There seems to be number of mentions of MQA on this thread, but no definitive answer.

I’m keen to purchase a high end DAP, but only if it fully supports MQA.

At the current moment, the player only supports MQA when played back as a file on the player directly. When using the player as a USB-DAC MQA wont be decoded.

Just to make sure MQA isnt something people should buy into, it adds DRM to music. Also its lossy and its bigger than a equivalent in normal FLAC. Also the added DSP doesnt improve audio quality. Please look into it more and I guarantee you that money will be spend pretty much everywhere better than on MQA.

 

[Tennant]

Can’t agree with your comments about MQA I’m afraid. Whilst it might be ‘lossy’ in the strict definition of a bit perfect digital compression/decompression, that isn’t the point. The original analogue-to-digital process is not a perfectly transparent process and hence that digital file that everyone gets excited about ensuring remains bit perfect doesn’t necessarily accurately represent the original analogue sound. MQA, in my understanding, modifies, filters, processes (whatever you want to call it) the digital file so that when it is passed through the DAC it is closer to the original analogue sound, rather than just a straight conversion of the (flawed) digital file back to analogue. Why is that a bad thing? At the end of the day I use my own ears, and I prefer the sound of MQA files played through my Meridian system than the sound of equivalent high-res FLAC files.

As for DRM, in what way? Sure the authentication is protected to ensure you are listening to the file exactly as the artist intended, but there’s nothing stopping you playing the file on any of your devices.

But I’m sure this thread doesn’t want to get hijacked by the pros and cons of MQA. Just suffice to say if the ZX300 can’t decode streamed Tidal Masters MQA files then it isn’t currently the DAP for me.

 

[Partlys4int]

At the current moment, the player only supports MQA when played back as a file on the player directly. When using the player as a USB-DAC MQA wont be decoded.

Just to make sure MQA isnt something people should buy into, it adds DRM to music. Also its lossy and its bigger than a equivalent in normal FLAC. Also the added DSP doesnt improve audio quality. Please look into it more and I guarantee you that money will be spend pretty much everywhere better than on MQA.

Not as saved files perhaps it's not better/worth it, but from what I've read it is really nice for people who stream their music. It's like Hi-Res that can be streamed in an efficient manner, or almost.

But I do agree, that it has- for exactly the above reasons, not much worth on this player that is aimed to possession of music.

 

[Partlys4int]

Also, my player is almost burned-in on the SE. 5-7 hrs to go but I don't feel much will change except for some side-tones that might become a tad more pronounced.

Compared to my previous Sony player, it has the same signature but just tremendously more fulfilled. Even with iem's I get a comfortable sense of space and highs and mids are seldom collided with one another. Bass is nearly always recognizable but not intruding. And what I did not expect: breathiness of vocals is accentuated, which I like a lot.
Perhaps one minor note: I do wish I had that little bit more 'bite' to guitars, yet such is highly subject to the ear-/headphones used.

Furthermore: as it has burned-in, volume comfort level has increased about 10-15 points to reach the same volume as I initially used.

I'm very satisfied

 

[gobb]

How do you guys like burn it in? Playing nonstop overnight or so? Do the iem’s have to be plugged in appropriate plug? Is that enough? With my tempo just through listening, i would be close to 200 hours in a couple of years. Isnt it wasting of battery, iems? I cant judge what would be the difference in sound.

 

[Partlys4int]

How do you guys like burn it in? Playing nonstop overnight or so? Do the iem’s have to be plugged in appropriate plug? Is that enough? With my tempo just through listening, i would be close to 200 hours in a couple of years. Isnt it wasting of battery, iems? I cant judge what would be the difference in sound.

The difference is relatively big. If you listen so little time, I'd let it play overnight. Sure it affects the battery a little, but you can just pop in any headphones you don't deem important.
It's the electrical conduit to the output that creates the burn-in, not the type of headphones you use. And just choose the same volume you use while listening to the player.

 

[psikey]

I had reply from Sony support that not processing MQA in DAC mode, so no Tidal MQA.

Tidal MQA sounds fantastic via my Drgonfly Red.

 

[mahesh]

205H burned
ready to rock...

 

[Partlys4int]

205H burned
ready to rock...

Nice pictures!

 

[kms108]

The silver one does look nice, it was a hard choice between the black or silver, but it was the Black for me, but both look nice in their own way.

 

[Partlys4int]

The silver one does look nice, it was a hard choice between the black or silver, but it was the Black for me, but both look nice in their own way.

I like the way the black colour changes from deep charcoal to deep black, depending on the lighting conditions. And it looks smaller compared to the silver, just an illusion but still.
If I had to choose again, I would pick black every time. Although, if the black would not exist, I would have been much pleased with the silver too!

 

[kms108]

I like the way the black colour changes from deep charcoal to deep black, depending on the lighting conditions. And it looks smaller compared to the silver, just an illusion but still.
If I had to choose again, I would pick black every time. Although, if the black would not exist, I would have been much pleased with the silver too!

I think the Black one just has that professional look.

 

[Partlys4int]

I think the Black one just has that professional look.

Agreed! It's rather inconspicuous aside from the gold/copper-toned outputs. The sort of device that you need to look at from a little closer to see its premium built. The silver one is more eye-catching, in the sense that you can tell more immediately that it is an expensive device.