[Ryokan]

Finally got a balanced cable (Orb Japan). First impressions hmm it's ok, sounds the same as (the very good) SE, but I've put over 200 hours on those caps.

Starting to hear a difference now as the balanced caps start to 'come on line' (I've watched too much Star Trek), sound stage is nice and wide

 

[mutnai]

Starting to hear a difference now

turn on HIGH GAIN! you'll hear more differences

 

[haveblue]

I'm getting the "invalid file, file format not supported" error message on some mp3's, but only when the song is 5-10 seconds away from finishing. They play fine, they just cut out at the very end and then it plays the next song. All my metadata, file names, and ID3 tags are consistent. Any ideas?

Edit: Switching the tag type of all my mp3s to id3v2.3 only fixed this.

 

[kms108]

You have some errors in your files, some players are more sensitive to these errors.

 

[abitdeef]

turn on HIGH GAIN! you'll hear more differences

Yes Hi gain on balanced really makes a difference.

 

[Ryokan]

turn on HIGH GAIN! you'll hear more differences

I turned on high gain as soon as I re-set the player to 'E' (reason I bought one as read here how to change, thanks guys).
Just checked my player and found I have to also set high gain for 'balanced standard jack', of course as I was previously listening through 3.5 jack.
Great! I've been wondering why I needed to set the volume so high - around 75 and up, now it's back down to around 60 same as SE.

 

[Hinomotocho]

I recently had turned off high gain to see if it improved my battery life - that explains why i wasn't enjoying my music last night

 

[mutnai]

that explains why i wasn't enjoying my music last night

LOL ))) you are crazy )

 

[GreenBow]

What Hi-Fi have done the full review of the ZX300, as of 17th Jan 2018. Google search still yields the 'Hands on Review', but it's that link.

The title page reads a full review. https://www.whathifi.com/sony/nw-zx300/review

Am very tempted now the price has dropped to about £470 on Amazon. Maybe because What Hi-Fi only give the ZX300 a four-star review.

(I am also still tussling with myself as to whether to buy a Poly for my Chord Mojo. However the Poly/Mojo only has eight hours battery life; I get eight hours fifteen minutes from my Mojo.)

 

[Hinomotocho]

LOL ))) you are crazy )

Seriously, I was doing the housework thinking, man, this sounds pretty average - am I using SE out?

 

[gazzington]

What earbuds, iems and head phones do you all use with your zx300. Wondering what has good synergy. Me, blur chocolate 4.4 earbuds

 

[Dsnuts]

IBasso IT01. Everyone here should own a pair. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Especially in balanced.

Then there is this thing I am using today. Unknown Chi fi called Rythmos SD7 plus. 7 BA speakers in each housing. Will cost you roughly $170ish to your door from aliexpress. These things out of the ZX300 balanced is unreal. You want to be immersed in your music. Try one of these.

 

[Ryokan]

'Over 200 hours', just checked playing time: 342 hours


and it's not my only player

 

[Hinomotocho]

I'm enjoy my XBA-A3 with the Sony MUC-M12NB1 cable, but considering the XBA-Z5

 

[abitdeef]

I love the oriveti new primacy in balanced. Would like to try the ibasso IT01 just for curiosities sake.