Can anyone confirm if sub-bass improves with burn in after 50 hours? I noticed when listening to some electronic music as I was looking for tracks to load onto the zx 300 that my Mac book pro seemed to produce a noticeable amount more weight on the very lowest octaves as compared to the 300. I’m not saying that the 300 is light in the bass, it’s articulate and very much there, but it noticably doesn’t dig as “subterranean” as the headphone out on my MacBook Pro. Any thoughts?
I just reached 100 hours on balanced by leaving it playing for about 50 hours and I am sure that I noticed the bass/sub-bass has lost impact. I would not describe it as tightening up, but losing impact - I don't know if this is just a part of the burn-in journey or this is a apart of the flat sound people describe the ZX300 as having. My XBA-A3 have always picked up the low frequencies nicely, but I might have to go for the XBA-Z5 to 'bring the bass'.
I just reached 100 hours on balanced by leaving it playing for about 50 hours and I am sure that I noticed the bass/sub-bass has lost impact. I would not describe it as tightening up, but losing impact - I don't know if this is just a part of the burn-in journey or this is a apart of the flat sound people describe the ZX300 as having. My XBA-A3 have always picked up the low frequencies nicely, but I might have to go for the XBA-Z5 to 'bring the bass'.
I’m around 50 hours and I’m feeling exactly the same way. Hence my post. I hope the weight comes back. It’s sounding a a little light. Musical-but light. I hope it starts to growl again. I’d be interested to hear if it comes back for you.
I’m around 50 hours and I’m feeling exactly the same way. Hence my post. I hope the weight comes back. It’s sounding a a little light. Musical-but light. I hope it starts to growl again. I’d be interested to hear if it comes back for you.
I'll let you know. I haven't listened to it for a couple of days, and maybe I was imagining it, but when you know your music and your ears know the frequencies it likes and it hears something different, it stands out.
I'll let you know. I haven't listened to it for a couple of days, and maybe I was imagining it, but when you know your music and your ears know the frequencies it likes and it hears something different it, stands out.
I have about 50hrs on my ZX300, I notice very slight improvement in soundstage from 0-50hrs. IMO the ZX300 is very flat and needs to be paired with an appropriate headphone/IEM for your tastes... in our case probably a THUMPER.
My Z1R are supposedly a very warm sounding HP, but with the ZX300 to me sounds about right.
I also have a pair of Denon AH-D5000 which are also supposed to be warm but just doesn't dig deep and doesn't sound too clear at the top either... provides mellow easy listening.
I have a pair of Shure 535 IEMs and these sound bright.
My X1000M2 sound pretty good, but that's BT.
Has anyone, from Canada, been able to find a ZX300 here? The online authorized Sony retailer doesn't seem to have it and only Henry's, Best Buy, and The Brick (lol) are listed locally (Halifax, NS).
I actually forget about EQing, but I like to keep things simple and not twiddle with sound settings so that when testing/trying other gear I know straight up how the songs sound to compare.
Formerly known as ihatepopupads Headphoneus Supremus
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Ha ha you guys would hate some of the daps I've had, the ZX300 has some of the best bass I've ever heard from a hi rez dap. Maybe it's because mine is almost fully burned in (350 hours) but man I ****ing love the bass on this baby. Now I do remember Sony mega bass and the cowon jet effects bass that would rattle your teeth but you lose some bass and mid bass clarity with those settings. I have found DC phase linearizer type B low to bring out some sub bass very nicely and still keep things very clear.
I'm listening to the doobie brothers 'best of the doobies' DCC right now and on direct with the simple ibasso it01 the bass is amazing! I do have a great fit with these with ue900 tips. The only recent dap I've had that has more bass was a35 and that isn't even on the same level with resolution and sound stage.
To my ears they sound constrained and kind of flat, this is compared to my PC STX sound card and 300B tube amp.
My tube amp @ full vol. is about 92 on the ZX (HG) so it drives them fine, but the tubes sound much more spacious and dynamic.
The STX doesn't sound as spacious as the tubes, a bit more than the ZX but it has a nice deep lows.
None of my mobiles or DAPs can drive the D5000 properly.
If I were to score the pleasure of each it would be...
Tubes: 90%
STX (can't remember which OP Amp): 82%
ZX: 68%
Other portables: 25~40%
I know I have not been generally complimentary of the ZX300... it just doesn't wow me, but there's nothing wrong with it either.
To my ears they sound constrained and kind of flat, this is compared to my PC STX sound card and 300B tube amp.
My tube amp @ full vol. is about 92 on the ZX (HG) so it drives them fine, but the tubes sound much more spacious and dynamic.
The STX doesn't sound as spacious as the tubes, a bit more than the ZX but it has a nice deep lows.
None of my mobiles or DAPs can drive the D5000 properly.
If I were to score the pleasure of each it would be...
Tubes: 90%
STX (can't remember which OP Amp): 82%
ZX: 68%
Other portables: 25~40%
I know I have not been generally complimentary of the ZX300... it just doesn't wow me, but there's nothing wrong with it either.
I have the D7000 which I don't use because even at home I'm always moving around, I haven't yet taken them out of storage to try with my ZX300. I think that the Denon D series, even though on paper look easy to drive, require a lot more to physically get things moving to sound their best.
I bought my massive Z1R's in to work today... they attract a bit too much unwanted attention, but they sound more spacious than the D5000, I'm guessing due to the balanced vs SE. Still pretty flat IMO but a more 3D stage vs the constrained of the D5000. The D5000 I still think are up there with the best, they dig deep and sound smooth; whereas the the Z1R's get the D5000 bass and push the mids and keep going to the very highs with no distortion. So D5000 more warm; Z1R more accurate/detailed, but otherwise quite similar... I'm at odds with other reviewers.
Btw I read reports of sensitive HP hiss w/ ZX300; the Z1R is 100 dB/mW which is moderately sensitive and I hear no hiss, I do hear volume adjustments though.
I have the D7000 which I don't use because even at home I'm always moving around, I haven't yet taken them out of storage to try with my ZX300. I think that the Denon D series, even though on paper look easy to drive, require a lot more to physically get things moving to sound their best.
I noticed that the AHD7000s could be played from a low power source but that with power the bass became more controlled and detailed. Sounded like more bass but really more delineated.
I bought my massive Z1R's in to work today... they attract a bit too much unwanted attention, but they sound more spacious than the D5000, I'm guessing due to the balanced vs SE. Still pretty flat IMO but a more 3D stage vs the constrained of the D5000. The D5000 I still think are up there with the best, they dig deep and sound smooth; whereas the the Z1R's get the D5000 bass and push the mids and keep going to the very highs with no distortion. So D5000 more warm; Z1R more accurate/detailed, but otherwise quite similar... I'm at odds with other reviewers.
Btw I read reports of sensitive HP hiss w/ ZX300; the Z1R is 100 dB/mW which is moderately sensitive and I hear no hiss, I do hear volume adjustments though.
Those are beasts next to the ZX300.
I was considering to sell my D7000 and get the MDR-Z7, then I could go balanced out of my ZX300, but after reading reviews and comparisons I figured that the D7000 was maybe more to my liking and the ZX300 would still struggle to make the Z7 shine.
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but you lose some bass and mid bass clarity with those settings. I have found DC phase linearizer type B low to bring out some sub bass very nicely and still keep things very clear.
