[abitdeef]

Seeking Advice.

Currently own a FiiO X5 III and FiiO A5 Amp. As I only listen to offline kept music file instead of online streaming, so Android is no needed.

Sound Quality Wise, Only on the SE output, will Sony ZX300 provide a noticeable upgrade over FiiO X5 III? Is the Sound Improvement worth buying it to replace FiiO X5III? Interested as FiiO X5 III didn't give me as much impression of changes in better sound quality comparing to Sound Blaster E3 (Is better on FiiO but not night and day). Thou demo a Chord Mojo briefly before and that is definitely night and day impression.

Current Audio Gear is: Etymotic ER4XR, Fidue A91 Sirius, HIFIMAN Edition S, Sony WI-1000X(Not really buying for LDAC since phone support LDAC), Sony XBA A1, VE Monk Plus, Audio Technica ATH M30X.

Unable to have the opportunities to test the device.

Thanks for the advice.

To my ears even the SE is better to me than the x5 iii, I just found the x5iii too polite and warm. The balanced is supposed to be even better. This is from memory mind you. I think the zx300 has better defined treble and dynamics than the x5iii had. After burn in I am really impressed with the zx300's base sound, detailed and dynamic, but musical and not analytical with great bass (not bloated) response. I feel the SE output has no weaknesses except maybe more power and a touch wider sound stage, and the stage isn't narrow by any means just not as wide as say opus #1 or DX90 which I hear the balanced makes up for in spades.

What impresses me is the natural not digital tone and the sheer detail and separation of instruments in the sound stage. Nothing gets lost and things sound rich and real. Out of the box it sounded good, but the stage was narrower and cymbals didn't have the right attack and decay. Now after 150 hours the stage widened and cymbals sound just right and multi layered if you know what I mean, not many units can do percussion right.

Ha ha I want to add I'm a musician too, so I know what cymbal crashes right next to you sound like

 

[hay2014]

Hello all,

I've recently got my hands on the ZX300, and am coming from the Sony Zx100, so thought I would do a quick comparison for those who have the Zx100 and are thinking about getting the ZX300. Please bear in mind I'm talking SE output between the two as ZX100 has no balanced out.

First up, is there a difference? Is a person upgrading if they go from Zx100 to ZX300? I would say in terms of sound quality then yes. Whilst the ZX100 is good, the ZX300 is better.. mainly in the extension of the treble area and the 'airiness' of the sound (after burn in, which is very real with the ZX 300). I would also say that the ZX300 has a more dynamic sound than the Zx100. i think on the ZX300 the instruments are also spaced nicely in the sound field and everything is articulated well. The Zx100 is a good machine, but in comparison comes off as a bit more polite than the ZX300. To me the ZX300 sounds like the ZX100 did when I had it running through a ray samuels headphone amp. In other words the ZX300 is 'already there' in terms of bringing out the sound across all frequencies... the ZX100 may have a slightly more impactful bass, but the ZX3oo has the better overall balanced sound across all frequencies.... it is a better sounding machine.

The ZX100 has a better battery life, but the Zx300 has the LDAC function for bluetooth, which is great. The ZX300 projects very well across bluetooth.. especially when paired up to headphones that have LDAC capability. the sony WH1000xm2 is a great pair up. But I also paired it up with the bose QC 35's too and the ZX300 sounds so much better over bluetooth connection than the ZX100. If you are thinking of going without wires.. the ZX300 leaves the ZX100 in the dust........

hope that helps anyone who may have been on the fence.....

 

[ccschua]

i am using a shure 846. need a dap. will this match well with shure 846 ?

also i have 1 unit of Hifiman 400i coming it. will the sony power it well ?

 

[gazzington]

I have just bought a zx300 off Amazon and it arrives on Sunday. Most expensive dap I've ever bought so feel excited but anxious. Love the a35 so I should like this

 

[MrExistor]

To my ears even the SE is better to me than the x5 iii, I just found the x5iii too polite and warm. The balanced is supposed to be even better. This is from memory mind you. I think the zx300 has better defined treble and dynamics than the x5iii had. After burn in I am really impressed with the zx300's base sound, detailed and dynamic, but musical and not analytical with great bass (not bloated) response. I feel the SE output has no weaknesses except maybe more power and a touch wider sound stage, and the stage isn't narrow by any means just not as wide as say opus #1 or DX90 which I hear the balanced makes up for in spades.

What impresses me is the natural not digital tone and the sheer detail and separation of instruments in the sound stage. Nothing gets lost and things sound rich and real. Out of the box it sounded good, but the stage was narrower and cymbals didn't have the right attack and decay. Now after 150 hours the stage widened and cymbals sound just right and multi layered if you know what I mean, not many units can do percussion right.

Ha ha I want to add I'm a musician too, so I know what cymbal crashes right next to you sound like

Wooo, better treble, wider sound stage, multi layered? Now i'm interested. Power should not be an issue considering I don't really have power hungry gear.

Thanks for the advice. Any more opinion are welcome. Gonna see if I have the opportunity to visit a Audio Shop later on.

 

[abitdeef]

Wooo, better treble, wider sound stage, multi layered? Now i'm interested. Power should not be an issue considering I don't really have power hungry gear.

Thanks for the advice. Any more opinion are welcome. Gonna see if I have the opportunity to visit a Audio Shop later on.

Everything except wider sound stage, I guess I didn't word that right. but I guess the balanced is very wide, not that it's clip+ narrow it's more 3d than really wide, but not narrow. Neck for all I know it could be that wide with burn in, but it's not quite as wide as ak70 more like mojo sound stage- which I like. I like everything to have it's own space in the sound stage, it's like wow I never heard that before.

Then you go to your other daps, and you hear it but it's not separated like on the zx300 and it stands out more on zx300. If this makes sense. Definitely better treble and dynamics than x5iii zx300 isn't warm, not analytical but definitely revealing.

And unlike the older Sonys which sounded rich and amazing but hissy, zx300 is very clean on the output none of that aggravating hiss that sonys used to have with sensitive iems.

I would like to also add this is the second best sounding dap I've personally have listened to. Even though ak70 has more power and a bit more spread out sound stage I like the tone and detail of zx300 better. Only opus #1 sounded better, but in tonality zx300 is very close and has better bass response. I feel that balanced out (from what I've read) is going to make opus #1 go crying home to mummy! Opus #1 is probably one of the best values in daps, but the zx300 is so beautiful and better built than opus, plus the much better battery life. If the balanced sounds like mojo or better, than for the money nothing is going to beat zx300!

And that is from headfi members with cred, that said the balanced sounded like mojo or better.

 

[abitdeef]

I have just bought a zx300 off Amazon and it arrives on Sunday. Most expensive dap I've ever bought so feel excited but anxious. Love the a35 so I should like this

I have a35 and this is another league even in SE output. You will love the sound, more open and better frequency response across the board.

 

[gazzington]

I can't wait. The a35 has been a pleasant surprise to me so if this is much better then I'm in for a treat.

 

[abitdeef]

I can't wait. The a35 has been a pleasant surprise to me so if this is much better then I'm in for a treat.

the a35 sounds wonderful, but give the zx300 some time and you won't be able to listen to the a35 critically, it's just not in the same league. Especially with revealing cans, it's like an Audi and a Volkswagon. Or a Porsche and a Volks lol.

 

[kms108]

I had a hard time deciding whether to to fix my ZX2, it had a bubble in the screen from the glue coming apart, took it all the way to Japan the fix it and change a new battery, at a cost approximate USD 186, did this afterall, knowing I will probably not use it since I have the ZX300, but it's also a waste not getting it done.

 

[BadClams]

have a look
https://penonaudio.com/accessories/4.4mm-male-to-2.5mm-female-balanced-adapter.html
9 quids

I could be wrong, but I don’t believe an adapter will yield a balanced signal if the cables share a single ground?

 

[superuser1]

I have just bought a zx300 off Amazon and it arrives on Sunday. Most expensive dap I've ever bought so feel excited but anxious. Love the a35 so I should like this

I would strongly urge you to try the balanced. That is the star if the show.

I could be wrong, but I don’t believe an adapter will yield a balanced signal if the cables share a single ground?

You are right. These adapters are made for 2.5mm balanced cables which enables their use out of a 4.4mm port.

 

[JayKay47]

I would strongly urge you to try the balanced. That is the star if the show.


You are right. These adapters are made for 2.5mm balanced cables which enables their use out of a 4.4mm port.

Isn't the 2.5mm AK balanced cable a different pin out?

The Sony 4.4mm

With only a 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter the Left and Right channels will be out of phase. It wouldn't be a big deal if the 4.4mm's L- and L+ changed places, then the channels would be opposite, and you could just switch the cable plug at the headphone side of things to compensate.

 

[superuser1]

I doubt there is a lot of literature regarding the process considering these are cheap ones. However from what i have heard people talk about is with the adapter it changes the pinout array on the female side so that ir corresponds with the AK pin of R-R+L-L+
The major deficiency would be the lack of ground.

 

[JayKay47]

I doubt there is a lot of literature regarding the process considering these are cheap ones. However from what i have heard people talk about is with the adapter it changes the pinout array on the female side so that ir corresponds with the AK pin of R-R+L-L+
The major deficiency would be the lack of ground.

I have a a $10 adapter from ebay and it does not change the pinout array. Buyers of adapters may want to check continiuty with a digital mulitmeter to make sure everything is on order. The ground pin is unused...