I just don't get why people complain about some things like bloated bass, harsh treble etc - EQ it to your liking! It's for your enjoyment, after all - and as much as people get a bee in their bonnet about 'reference sound' 'just like the engineers had it' - You don't know what the engineers were listening to it through, so just listen to it how you like it and stop suffering fool's madness over it!
Well, the other thing at Head-Fi is the distinction between the cold detailed and analytical crowd and the warm forgiving crowd.
So to one group 1/2 of the sound signatures “could” potentially be simply wrong. Each group hears things slightly different and makes “right” or “wrong” judgements.
The 1A-1Z and ZX300 all have a similar sound, and I was surprised hearing it to be both detailed and musically warm. And......it’s maybe the magic that Sony is doing now, where the players seem to satisfy a large group of people.
Much of this sound preference can also be due to a listener’s history. We all have past histories where what sounds correct was established in our perception. Though spending two weeks with one style of headphone or IEM can shift tone preferences some.
Many audiophiles are against EQ due to it possibly having effects on other frequencies. My reference rig has no EQ. But different sources and adding or changing out different cables can at times create a style of EQ adjustments in the end.
I always find it ironically funny that some audiophiles are very vocally against EQing but will spend thousands to buy different cables to tweak the sound.
I always find it ironically funny that some audiophiles are very vocally against EQing but will spend thousands to buy different cables to tweak the sound.
In my specific case (buying shiny new hardware) the reason is a serious case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrom).
It is much more fullfilling to setup a new DAC with shiny handmade cables (I am in the process of doing that right now) instead of fiddling with some dials.
EQing, tube rolling etc.. is just a matter of customising your system to sound the way you like it. If you have the money go all out and buy different headphones and amplifiers for different music. If you are tight on budget just EQ the **** out of it.
My personal reference system is my wife. If she cannot hear a difference after me making a change it is just snake oil for me or GAS or both.
The 1A has more output power for both outputs, and yes the ZX300 can act as a USB DAC while the 1A cannot. The 1A is also physically a fair bit larger, but with that also comes with a larger touch screen. I think which one you choose depends more on usage scenario than pure sound quality alone.
Also the EQ options are actually identical across the board (ZX300, 1A/1Z).
Thanks for the answers there nanaholic, very helpful. When you say usage scenario beyond sound quality alone what do you mean, ie the 1A being more robust and able to withstand a bit more plus the added power?
Well, the other thing at Head-Fi is the distinction between the cold detailed and analytical crowd and the warm forgiving crowd.
So to one group 1/2 of the sound signatures “could” potentially be simply wrong. Each group hears things slightly different and makes “right” or “wrong” judgements.
The 1A-1Z and ZX300 all have a similar sound, and I was surprised hearing it to be both detailed and musically warm. And......it’s maybe the magic that Sony is doing now, where the players seem to satisfy a large group of people.
Much of this sound preference can also be due to a listener’s history. We all have past histories where what sounds correct was established in our perception. Though spending two weeks with one style of headphone or IEM can shift tone preferences some.
Sony got it right to my ears with the ZX300 as you say detailed and not steril or cold or flat. And your last paragraph is SO TRUE and something one rarely thinks about. I'm going to step out on a limb and say portable audio of the past was generally warmer until the ipod came along. Then things started becoming more even and flatter on daps or more neutral or reference or whatever you want to call it.
I remember first listening to the first ipod and I had a rio carbon and a cowon and I thought wow that sounds really spacious and clear, then I thought- where's the bass? lol. I do remember the creatives being on the lean side also compared to the Samsungs, irivers, Sonys, etc, etc. And the ipod eq settings were um horrible compared to everyone else. So I definitely think the history of the user and what he was exposed to previously affects his perception of sound on a new unit.
I also think this is were some mental burn in happens with the new device.
Thanks for the answers there nanaholic, very helpful. When you say usage scenario beyond sound quality alone what do you mean, ie the 1A being more robust and able to withstand a bit more plus the added power?
Thanks for the answers there nanaholic, very helpful. When you say usage scenario beyond sound quality alone what do you mean, ie the 1A being more robust and able to withstand a bit more plus the added power?
The 1A having 50mW more on the each channel for balance will give you more headroom for less sensitive phones, so say for example if your usage includes less sensitive phones - perhaps a full size headphone to use at home - then you may want to pick the 1A. On the other hand, if what you really value is something really light and pocketable that you can slip into the back pocket of a pair of jeans to go with sensitive IEMs that doesn't really demand the extra power, then you may want to go with the ZX300.
The 1A having 50mW more on the each channel for balance will give you more headroom for less sensitive phones, so say for example if your usage includes less sensitive phones - perhaps a full size headphone to use at home - then you may want to pick the 1A. On the other hand, if what you really value is something really light and pocketable that you can slip into the back pocket of a pair of jeans to go with sensitive IEMs that doesn't really demand the extra power, then you may want to go with the ZX300.
I just don't get why people complain about some things like bloated bass, harsh treble etc - EQ it to your liking! It's for your enjoyment, after all - and as much as people get a bee in their bonnet about 'reference sound' 'just like the engineers had it' - You don't know what the engineers were listening to it through, so just listen to it how you like it and stop suffering fool's madness over it!
Totally agree - I've heard 'reference' earphones that had almost no bass and absolutely no sub-bass, surely the engineers heard those frequencies.
We all hear things differently, or are accustomed to a certain sound - just find what suits your tastes and enjoy. You can experiment and find your preferences may change.
I have all my listening hours on the balanced output, I was going to try my unbalanced D7000 on the SE - if the single and balanced share some of the same components I wonder how difference the balanced burn-in makes to the SE compared to a brand new player, if that makes sense?
I'm using Fromjapan to ship my ZX300 accessories. Pretty good since you can consolidate all the items to make shipping cheaper. Still waiting to see how much shipping will be though, hopefully considerably less than shipping 4 separate items to Australia.
I'm using Fromjapan to ship my ZX300 accessories. Pretty good since you can consolidate all the items to make shipping cheaper. Still waiting to see how much shipping will be though, hopefully considerably less than shipping 4 separate items to Australia.
They make the ZX300 sound better than any other IEM or HP I own... EQ can't replicate the effect, and even with the Z1R's I raise the 2 lowest bands.
About the ONLY gripe I have with them is their size, freakin huge; but that also makes them kind of open/airy and they leak.
However they feel very light and I never feel like taking them off.
Btw I paid the equivalent of US$1200 new, and they came after 7 weeks directly from Sony... serial 52xx.
On the subject of EQ; I find the ZX300 just attenuates certain freq ranges and has the same shape, like a graphic equalizer... but difference headphones vibrate with difference freq range shapes and also at different phases. So it's not really possible without complicated DSP to reproduce a nice big fat rounded bass that phases into another range.
I think there are 3^2 distinct audio signature crowds:
Bright.
Balanced.
Warm.
Then for each one of the above I think we have the soundstage or imagining or acoustic space:
Flat.
Floating.
(I don't think people actively like recessed or forward but they might so then 3^4)
For my ears the ZX300 is firmly in the balanced and flat.
My preferred signature is warm floating.
The Z1R's are Balanced/warm Floating.
The D5000's Warm Flat.
The Shure 535 Bright/balanced flat.
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