[tomaslam]

Hello, it's me again. Today, I try the USB-DAC mode, even though I unchecked "Charge this player..." my battery logo still beeping like when I'm chargine my ZX300? Is it okay or something?

 

[Bepli]

I can use High Gain on both Balanced and SE but my iem is just 16Ohm (CKR9ltd) so I'm not so sure using mine on high gain or just leave it unchecked. On HG, I have only let my unit around 50~60, but on LG (unchecked) I have to push the volume to 85~90, with my A35 I used the same iem with just 80 ~ 85...

Very simply reason, the volume on the Sony DAPs isnt linear scale. It will go higher first very slow and than in the last some points very fast. The A30 does 40mW and the ZX300 50mW so its normal that they are not the same loudness at the same number. But if you max both out the ZX300 will be louder.

 

[Mark2010]

I just noticed a major difference in sound quality on the zx300 when I turned on "high gain".

I have the player months but I never noticed that feature.

They should have the zx300 set to high gain straight out of the box.

 

[Weaves]

I just noticed a major difference in sound quality on the zx300 when I turned on "high gain".

I have the player months but I never noticed that feature.

They should have the zx300 set to high gain straight out of the box.

Sony players have primarily been made for iem's. High gain, by default, could ruin quite a few of them.

 

[Mark2010]

Sony players have primarily been made for iem's. High gain, by default, could ruin quite a few of them.

I use iem's high gain does not seem to have harmed them at all.

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

I played the movie Jurassic World balanced through the ZX300.
And heard no difference with standard.
I’m guessing movies don’t have the right audio format for balanced listening? Is that right?

 

[Bepli]

I played the movie Jurassic World balanced through the ZX300.
And heard no difference with standard.
I’m guessing movies don’t have the right audio format for balanced listening? Is that right?

No, balanced is a connection type and doesnt have anything to do with what plays well or not. Even the lowest bit-rate MP3 will just play fine and will have the same benefits and disadvantages as if you played a different file.

 

[marvin3003]

I am new on this forum en my in ears are akg k3003, ie80s, shure se425, ie 60, akg k374 and an old pair of cx300. Most of the times i listen from my notebook or galaxy s8 through a dragonfly red. I am planning to buy the sony m7 or m9 depending on the exact pricing here. These m7 are m9 are supplied with balanced cables if i recall correctly.
I am guessing that the balanced output of the zx300 will give better sound quality than the dragonfly red but how is the sound quality difference between the se output of the zx300 compared to a phone with a drogonfly red. If i would buy the m9 it will be the only one in my collection with a balanced cable. I could upgrade the cables of the shure se 425 and the ie 80s to use the balanced output of the zx300 but it would be a shame if my akg 3003 would sound worse on se zx300 than out of my dragonfly red.
is there anyone who can give a brief comparison between a dragonfly red en zx300 se output?

marvin

 

[Bepli]

I am new on this forum en my in ears are akg k3003, ie80s, shure se425, ie 60, akg k374 and an old pair of cx300. Most of the times i listen from my notebook or galaxy s8 through a dragonfly red. I am planning to buy the sony m7 or m9 depending on the exact pricing here. These m7 are m9 are supplied with balanced cables if i recall correctly.
I am guessing that the balanced output of the zx300 will give better sound quality than the dragonfly red but how is the sound quality difference between the se output of the zx300 compared to a phone with a drogonfly red. If i would buy the m9 it will be the only one in my collection with a balanced cable. I could upgrade the cables of the shure se 425 and the ie 80s to use the balanced output of the zx300 but it would be a shame if my akg 3003 would sound worse on se zx300 than out of my dragonfly red.
is there anyone who can give a brief comparison between a dragonfly red en zx300 se output?

marvin

From my listening and the measurements I saw, the DragonFly Red and Black are much worse than even the SE. The player performs way better, the most awkward thing is that the DAC implementation on the DragonFlys is advertised as 24 Bit (also actually 24Bit only in Windows and co), but it can not output more than 16Bit. The ZX300 outperforms both, the only thing the DragonFly Red is better is power output (On SE only I think).

 

[pr0b3r]

Love the punch of midbass from ZX300 + EMX500 buds.

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

I feel for balanced listening in case of music files, higher resolution files like DSD than MP3 does make a difference.

But in case of video files I know dvd audio sounds worse than Blu-ray or 4K video.

But in the case of iTunes HD movies vs Blu-ray or 4K video is the audio compressed, since there are Blu-ray cd that play uncompressed higher resolution files than cd. This is in the case of INXS 30 Anniversary CD that came with a Blu-ray Disc with high res files.

I haven’t figured a way to play Blu-ray/4K movie discs to ZX300.

No, balanced is a connection type and doesnt have anything to do with what plays well or not. Even the lowest bit-rate MP3 will just play fine and will have the same benefits and disadvantages as if you played a different file.

 

[Bepli]

I feel for balanced listening in case of music files, higher resolution files like DSD than MP3 does make a difference.

But in case of video files I know dvd audio sounds worse than Blu-ray or 4K video.

But in the case of iTunes HD movies vs Blu-ray or 4K video is the audio compressed, since there are Blu-ray cd that play uncompressed higher resolution files than cd. This is in the case of INXS 30 Anniversary CD that came with a Blu-ray Disc with high res files.

I haven’t figured a way to play Blu-ray/4K movie discs to ZX300.

While the player does sound better from the balanced port, it doesnt make a difference what file you play. It will always sound the same either way. Will the different files show a improvement ? Yes, but that has nothing to do with the balanced port, you will see the same improvement from the SE.

 

[nanaholic]

While the player does sound better from the balanced port, it doesnt make a difference what file you play. It will always sound the same either way. Will the different files show a improvement ? Yes, but that has nothing to do with the balanced port, you will see the same improvement from the SE.

Not quite true for the ZX300, as only the balance port has native DSD playback whereas SE is converted to PCM. So a difference could easily be attributed to the different conversion method.

 

[Bepli]

Not quite true for the ZX300, as only the balance port has native DSD playback whereas SE is converted to PCM. So a difference could easily be attributed to the different conversion method.

But you cant compare the two outputs when they dont do the same. If you compare them with the same conversation method (Changing the option in the settings) it wont matter. His original question was if he needs higher quality files to get the improvement of the Balanced output and that isnt true, all files will have the same improvement. (If DSD is played native or not is not comparable because you can not output native on the SE)

 

[GreenBow]

Wow, this thread slowed down a little bit.

You're not going to believe this. My ZX300 arrived on 26th June, but it's still in its box new and factory sealed.

I think I was just putting off opening it until had some reasonable headphones to use with it. I only had Sennehieser MX500 which are actually good for what they are. Plus a pair of AKG Y50 on-ear headphones. The Y50 though, cause quite a seal and cause quite a thumping noise with footsteps. ... Anyway after lots of deliberating, I eventually bought some AKG N40. I could not be more pleased. I tried them on my Hugo 2, and my £50 IPod Shuffle 4GB 3rd gen last night.

I was startled at how good they sounded on my IPod Shuffle:
The What HiFi AKG N40 review, said the treble can be rather hard and incessant on cheaper sound sources. However I found them brilliant on my Shuffle, and even ended up laid out, Shuffle listening. I also took Shuffle for a walk. They isolate and so cause some footstep booming too, but it's more than acceptable. The beauty was the level of isolating, in that it blocked the worst of traffic noise. Yet left enough traffic noise to stay aware. (By the way, I have never owned in-ear/headphones before, so this is all new to me.)

Anyway long story short, I think I will try out the ZX300 today, and report the synergy. I expect it will be good. I keep having thoughts of leaving the ZX300 sealed new. Then getting a Poly for my Chord Mojo. ... However the Sony has far better battery life. The Poly has been problematic, but is still getting sorted. (I think newer models are perfect, and there may be a old for new Poly, exchange policy in place too.) Plus as yet I don't have a smart-phone to operate the Poly. Mojo//Poly is also a lot of money to carry about.



Anyway I will let folk know how the AKG N40 work with ZX300. .......... I honestly think the pairing will be good enough/excellent/more than substantial, etc. Even so though, I can on odd occasion still pair ZX300 with Mojo.