[superuser1]

Hi all, I just got a ZX300A. It sounds great, but I;m having major problems with data transfer. I'm using Music Center, and while the songs seem to be transferring to the microSD (Sandisk Ultra 200GB purchased from Amazon) and they show up on the card when the player is attached to my PC, on the player itself some of the songs won't appear. How do I fix this? I've tried rebuilding the database, resetting to factory defaults, reformatting the card (which is currently in exFAT), but nothing. This doesn't affect all my music, just a small portion, but it's extremely frustrating.

One word of advice.. just drag and drop as you would inside an explorer window. Works much better than Sony Music IMO.

 

[EJD87]

One word of advice.. just drag and drop as you would inside an explorer window. Works much better than Sony Music IMO.

Tried that too. It creates a file that’s visible within the player (the name of the album) but doesn’t actually have music in it. Of course, when viewed on the PC, the whole file shows up intact, right where it’s supposed to be.

 

[hemipowered007]

I also bought a ZX300 (used) lately to replace my old X3ii and my first impression with the Sony's SE output was that it lacked the proximity and punch of the X3ii, but after a while I started to appreciate the amount of detail and smoothness of the Sony. But be wary of trying to power headphones out of the SE output since High Gain mode barely does anything. After I got my 4.4mm balanced setup going for my IEMs I was really happy with the upgrade in sound.

Ya on se I notice minimal difference going to high gain with my sony ex1000. I ordered pentaconn 4.4 connectors saturday can't wait to try the balanced out on the ex1000 and my denon d2k. Se sounds great to me over the fiio X3i I had and even over the ifi micro black label I owned,so anything more going balanced will just be icing on the cake. The previous owner of the zx300 already burned in the Se over 200 hours, but not the balanced. Not really sure if I believe in burn in or not here, but maybe I'll notice a difference burning in the balanced since I've already became accustomed to the sound sig of the player. I also have solely used the zx300 and ex1000 the last week, no other amps or hps and plan to keep it that way to see what differences I may notice. Not sure how much different the fiio x3i is from the x3ii, but the zx300 just destroys the x3i to me, especially on the ex1000 being such a detailed iem.

 

[Cychalen]

Thanks everyone, you all made it easier for me to decide on a replacement for NW-ZX1. It sounds better than NW-ZX1 out of the box.
These are my settings and setup:
IEM: JH16pro and 64ears triple driver.
Output: Single ended 3.5mm.
Sound: Direct source.
BT, NFC, AVLS, etc all OFF.
Volume: Set around 25.
Firmware: 1.00. Southeast Asia version. Sticker on the back is in Korean. Made in Malaysia.
Music files: A mix of FLAC and MP3 320 kbps on SD card (Kingston). The SD card kept unmounting itself when it was formatted in FAT32 and I had to format it to exFAT first and then format it with ZX300 to solve the problem.
Total play time 12 hrs 4 mins. plus standby for 8 days.This is from my first charge (full 100%). I rarely turn the screen on, but I skip songs quite often. I think the battery life is in line with what I have been reading here.
Heard good things about balanced out so I am getting a 4.4mm balanced cable for MDR-1A to hear the difference.

 

[yomiura]

Ok first of all, I appreciated all the comment you guys made upon my answer and also other opinion. Now I know I am not the only one who have a strange feeling about ZX300 SE port. Thank you very much.

I will be honest that I am not quite believe in the burn-in theory of a solid state electronic components but if ZX300 can truly produce a better sound after a while then that's a plus side. Also, if I had known before hand about this SE output issue then I wouldn't care about it at all. The only mistake I made was that I already tried Sony's balanced port and it was amazing to me LOL. Look like I have to buy two extra pair of 4.4mm balanced cables for my SE215 and AKG Y50 as well <sob>

 

[Blommen]

Have read all the ZX300 thread. Keep getting so close to buying one.

Then today I noticed that the ZX300 is sold out on Amazon UK. However there a handful of Amazon Warehouse ones that are opened. Presumably sent back by customers, that are opened so can not be sold new. ..... I was actually considering an Amazon Warehouseone anyway, just to save some money.

The plus side of buying an Amazon Warehouse ZX300 is:
1. I can get the ZX300, listen to and if I return, which I won't, because I'd love it like you folks. Meaning I wouldn't be returning a new one that I had opened, either way. Cool for everyone.

The negative side, or my worries are:
1. The ZX300 might have a fault which I might not notice for a long time. (Like e.g the balanced port doesn't work.) That might be why it's a returned item. (You know how they say Amazon et al, resend out stuff that gets returned when claimed faulty.)
2. The warranty period on only 30 days in effect. You have 30 days to assess if you want it. If it goes faulty after that, you lose out completely. There's no Amazon guarantee with warehouse stuff.
3. Not sure how reliable the Sony warranty is. Or if it would count on an opened product. I have read the odd scare story of Sony being hard work to deal with over warranties. .. I can't even figure out Sony's warranty anyway.

I personally bought a zx300 from amazon UK and returned it after 20 or so days of use just to test it. And then I bought one from Joybuy Don't be worried when buying from amazon, they always help you rather than getting a bad review.

 

[geagle]

My ears tell me that the burn in definitely has an effect on the Sony ZX300, and memory says that I actually did not like the player, after the first few hours and until the end of the burn in period. Then it opened up. And it's not "brain" burn in, as I mostly did not listen to it during the 9 days it took to burn it in (for each port). Could not say WHY that might be so... could be the capacitors on the thing.

I am not trying to change anyone's mind on this... just saying that, if you do not believe in burn in and do get the player, if, by any chance, you find yourself liking it at the very beginning and then not liking it, try suspending judgement until after the burn in period has finished... you might be happy. I certainly was.

 

[twice tzuyu]

My ears tell me that the burn in definitely has an effect on the Sony ZX300, and memory says that I actually did not like the player, after the first few hours and until the end of the burn in period. Then it opened up. And it's not "brain" burn in, as I mostly did not listen to it during the 9 days it took to burn it in (for each port). Could not say WHY that might be so... could be the capacitors on the thing.

I am not trying to change anyone's mind on this... just saying that, if you do not believe in burn in and do get the player, if, by any chance, you find yourself liking it at the very beginning and then not liking it, try suspending judgement until after the burn in period has finished... you might be happy. I certainly was.

In my experience, I heard differences when i A/B ed my friends fully burned in unit with mine out of the box.

 

[GreenBow]

Personally, I got a ZX300a from Joybuy... only difference is 16gb instead of 64gb internal memory, but it costs way less. IF things should go south, I have absolutely no idea of how the warranty would work, tbh, so do keep that in mind... BUT 1) fingers crossed nothing has as yet happened (and it's been 4 months or so), and 2) even if something does happen and there should be no recourse (don't think that would be the case, but it's certainly going to be less convenient than with, say, Amazon) you can almost buy a second one with what you save (not really true, but at least partially so)

I personally bought a zx300 from amazon UK and returned it after 20 or so days of use just to test it. And then I bought one from Joybuy Don't be worried when buying from amazon, they always help you rather than getting a bad review.

Thank you folks. I think pure desperation is going to make me buy one in the next couple of days. (Although I did have a look ever the Sony A45 also.) I might wait until new ZX300 are in stock though. ... I gave up even trying to get music onto my iPod Shuffle a long time ago. I've only got albums on it, which I listen to over and over. Me and iTunes were never meant to be.

I can't for any reason see me wanting to return a ZX300. It's not like I am not going to be happy with sound. Even though mostly at first I'll only be using SE output. (I only have a cheap pair of old style ear-buds. Sennheiser MX500.) ... I bought some AKG Y50, but they are useless for walking about with. You hear thudding footsteps every step you take. Plus I would like some better portable headphones anyway. Pretty hard choosing though. I think I will eventually buy the AKG N40. I worry stupid though, that earphones will suffer cable noise when walking and therefor be useless. Thus I still use MX500, because they have no cable noise.

-----------

RE: General discussion on Burn in.

I used to swear burn-in happened with headphones. Both times I bought the older model Grado SR 60 and SR125i, I saw the whole burn in process. Some say that with transduces it about getting them to move loosely and freely in their housing. Meaning the same for speakers.

For audio kit like DAPs etc. I recall Rob Watts, (Chord's designer) explaining how some components need running in. It might have been certain types of capacitors, but I can't remember. Apparently not parts used in the Chord DACs though.

Funnily though, quite a lot of people report hearing burn in time with Chord DACs. I wondered for a while, but I think it was just me adjusting to the Chord sound. ... Before I bought my first Chord DAC, I had a Meridian Explorer. The Chord Mojo was completely different. E.g The ME produced sound in a sort of low flat triangle over amplifier and speakers. Wide but not high at the sides, but high in the middle. The Chord Mojo used the whole soundstage. Sounds at the side were of as equal prominence as sounds anywhere in the sound field. More like a square shape. Sounds anywhere, high or low in the sound-field at the sides. Also the soundstage was much deeper, from back to front.

The Mojo had considerably more detail. However at first sort of what I heard was the ME transposed over the top of the Mojo sound. With the extra detail of the Mojo sound tacked on the sides. Meaning Initially I was hearing on the Mojo what I was used to hearing on the ME. With the additional detail sort of tacked on. .. What it meant was that it took a while to hear the sounds on the Mojo as a whole. ... Or as what Rob Watts calls it; brain burn in.

Whether there was any real burn in or not I do not know. Initially the Mojo sounded dark, hollow, and metallic. After maybe ten days, it sounded very good, and it was all uphill from there. After a month I was in love with the Mojo. ... Just by chance my Mojo went faulty. I reverted back to the Meridian Explorer for a while. To be honest though it was a big step back after the Mojo. I got another Mojo, and it felt like a much quicker re-adjustment from the ME this time. ............. Meaning really maybe a lot a burn in, is just us adjusting to the new way that sounds are presented.

It was very similar when I bought a Hugo 2. In that it took me a month to adjust fully. At first it sounded better and more detailed. There was so much new detail going on though, it was like I was out-faced. However as before when I got the Mojo, it took time to hear the whole picture as one. I think partly because we can be analytical of what we buy new. We can study it closely, wondering what's new.

 

[Sarcasmo]

The provided cable will work with audio in if you want to use the zx300 as a DAC.
The fiio L27 cable is for digital audio out to a DAC, and it doesn't work vice versa.

Edit: The WM port adapter (WMP-NWM10) works nicely to allow a micro USB cable to be plugged into the ZX300 and use it as a DAC - even from iOS devices...!

 

[someyoungguy]

Well, finally ordered one of these from Joybuy. I had been tossing up between the ZX300 and Plenue R for a long time. Got the Plenue R, and really just couldn't help myself and felt I needed to try the ZX300 too to see which I'd prefer. The Plenue R has a great detailed sound, but I'm finding the lower registers just don't quite deliver for me. From reviews and comments here, especially the Headfonia review, it sounds like the ZX300 has some good bass on offer, which is what I like. I haven't got any headphones that can do balanced yet, and will have to pick some up and an appropriate cable to fully compare the ZX300 and PR. I'll post some thoughts once that's happened, but might be about a month or more for me to get the ZX300 in the post, get headphones and balanced cable, and burn in the balanced ports on both DAPs. I only intend on keeping one of them in the end, so the battle will be on!

 

[GreenBow]

Well, finally ordered one of these from Joybuy. I had been tossing up between the ZX300 and Plenue R for a long time. Got the Plenue R, and really just couldn't help myself and felt I needed to try the ZX300 too to see which I'd prefer. The Plenue R has a great detailed sound, but I'm finding the lower registers just don't quite deliver for me. From reviews and comments here, especially the Headfonia review, it sounds like the ZX300 has some good bass on offer, which is what I like. I haven't got any headphones that can do balanced yet, and will have to pick some up and an appropriate cable to fully compare the ZX300 and PR. I'll post some thoughts once that's happened, but might be about a month or more for me to get the ZX300 in the post, get headphones and balanced cable, and burn in the balanced ports on both DAPs. I only intend on keeping one of them in the end, so the battle will be on!

Yeah, I was looking over the Cowon D and R too. Also the Acoustic Research M20, I think (it was). Plus the Sony NW A45. I think the ZX300 is the one for me though.

The only slight negative I hear about the ZX300 is that it lacks a little punch. However I am sure I'd be all good with that. While, punch is exciting over speakers. I have Chord DACs for headphones around the home if I want. .. Meaning for on the go, any great DAP will do. It doesn't have to be 10/10 perfect. 9/10 for the ZX300 will do fine. ... Maybe the punch picks up after more burn in that What HiFi gave the ZX300 anyway.

 

[Kermy]

Just wanted to throw my $0.02 on purchasing from JoyBuy.

Purchased and paid for black ZX300A on May 15.
Didn't get shipment notification at all. Website showed shipped on May 17 via China Post but no tracking number listed.
Was delivered by USPS on May 28th to California.

 

[linux4ever]

The burn-in is very true for zx300 and Wm1a.

I tested it out of the box. And every 50 hrs. It changed noticeably at each interval.and in between I didn't listen to it. So there's no brain burn-in involved.

With these 2 devices it was worth burning-in.

I didn't notice that much of a difference with ibasso dx200. It just tightened up a bit. But the sound signature was not drastically different.

These 2 Sony models had a remarkable difference after burn-in

 

[sklaus28]

Well, finally ordered one of these from Joybuy. I had been tossing up between the ZX300 and Plenue R for a long time. Got the Plenue R, and really just couldn't help myself and felt I needed to try the ZX300 too to see which I'd prefer. The Plenue R has a great detailed sound, but I'm finding the lower registers just don't quite deliver for me. From reviews and comments here, especially the Headfonia review, it sounds like the ZX300 has some good bass on offer, which is what I like. I haven't got any headphones that can do balanced yet, and will have to pick some up and an appropriate cable to fully compare the ZX300 and PR. I'll post some thoughts once that's happened, but might be about a month or more for me to get the ZX300 in the post, get headphones and balanced cable, and burn in the balanced ports on both DAPs. I only intend on keeping one of them in the end, so the battle will be on!

I had Plenue R and ZX300, Plenue R is the clearer and have more detail than zx300. You can use machbass to elevate the bass, pretty good i guess.