[heimis]

Here is something I totally didn't see coming with the ZX300. I`m a huge bass head and mostly use the EX800ST and XBA-Z5 for work purposes. When I started using the ZX300 it basically halved (if not more) the bass in both iems.
This is using the direct mode but still....

 

[robulation]

Here is something I totally didn't see coming with the ZX300. I`m a huge bass head and mostly use the EX800ST and XBA-Z5 for work purposes. When I started using the ZX300 it basically halved (if not more) the bass in both iems.
This is using the direct mode but still....

Wow, that’s a surprise to me also... I use mine with CA Vegas, and only ever use direct (to save battery life) but the bass, in particularly on live tracks is just incredible.

 

[dazzerfong]

How much data do you have stored and is it on built-in memory or SD card? And how long does it take to build the database? I've commented before that it used to take several minutes but with more recent firmware versions it's much faster...

On a 256GB SD card, took 45s for me. 14,702 songs.

 

[tonyg1]

On a 256GB SD card, took 45s for me. 14,702 songs.

That's probably as fast as it's going to be. For info I have had an ongoing dialogue with Sony technical service on this issue and I've repeatedly quizzed them about why the database has to be rebuilt if there hasn't been any change in content - the response is basically "that's just the way the NW-ZX300 is".

I've always found it hard work with Sony to acknowledge that there's any problem from their side. I don't know if you use the "Save Sound Settings function"? I tried it by saving different settings into each of the the 3 available slots. In each case you get (quite correctly) a warning that the sound setting in the selected slot will be overwritten with the current device settings. When you go to recall one of the saved settings you get the same warning that the setting in that slot will be overwritten with the current settings, whereas of course it should warn that the current settings will be overwritten with the data from that slot. When I pointed this out they asked me what my issue was. I repeated my description of the fault and they suggested I needed to restart the device (not surprisingly that didn't make any difference). Then they sent me a step-by-step procedure to save and recall the settings, in which they actually stated for the final step in the recall settings process as "Press ok to overwrite the saved setting with the current setting”. I pointed out that this was either an error in their dialogue text or the process was jumping to the wrong routine. They then offered to call me and to pick a 2-hour time window on a particular day, which I did. No-one called during the time slot, but three hours after the time slot I got a notification that they'd just tried to call me (I was driving at the time) and that I should pick a 2-hour time slot for another call. So I've given them a slot for Friday, but they don't seem to have any system for acknowledging that a slot has been allocated. I've found that root canal work is probably less painful than getting useful help from Sony (IMHO, of course)

Happy New Year BTW...

 

[dazzerfong]

That's probably as fast as it's going to be. For info I have had an ongoing dialogue with Sony technical service on this issue and I've repeatedly quizzed them about why the database has to be rebuilt if there hasn't been any change in content - the response is basically "that's just the way the NW-ZX300 is".

I've always found it hard work with Sony to acknowledge that there's any problem from their side. I don't know if you use the "Save Sound Settings function"? I tried it by saving different settings into each of the the 3 available slots. In each case you get (quite correctly) a warning that the sound setting in the selected slot will be overwritten with the current device settings. When you go to recall one of the saved settings you get the same warning that the setting in that slot will be overwritten with the current settings, whereas of course it should warn that the current settings will be overwritten with the data from that slot. When I pointed this out they asked me what my issue was. I repeated my description of the fault and they suggested I needed to restart the device (not surprisingly that didn't make any difference). Then they sent me a step-by-step procedure to save and recall the settings, in which they actually stated for the final step in the recall settings process as "Press ok to overwrite the saved setting with the current setting”. I pointed out that this was either an error in their dialogue text or the process was jumping to the wrong routine. They then offered to call me and to pick a 2-hour time window on a particular day, which I did. No-one called during the time slot, but three hours after the time slot I got a notification that they'd just tried to call me (I was driving at the time) and that I should pick a 2-hour time slot for another call. So I've given them a slot for Friday, but they don't seem to have any system for acknowledging that a slot has been allocated. I've found that root canal work is probably less painful than getting useful help from Sony (IMHO, of course)

Happy New Year BTW...

That's because you're dealing with customer service techs, who didn't design the damn thing.

Honestly, unless it's an actual fault, don't bother with them, especially with things as nitpicky as localisation (which Sony is notorious for).

The Saved Sound Settings thing took me a bit before I understood what it was trying to say. Hardly the end of the world, and hardly worse than a root canal.

The rebuild does make sense from a redundancy perspective. Imagine if, while it was off, you yanked the SD card out and put more music in. You'd have no way of telling if there was new music when it's turned on. Now, the alternative is to do a delta scan, like how all smartphones' apps do it nowadays. However, that requires a lot of CPU power to do, something the ZX300 lacks in a bid to save battery.

Now, the more elegant solution is to do it manually such that you the user will press it themselves. However, if you do that, a lot of people won't realise that's a thing, and then promptly complain when their music doesn't show up.

This is the world of usability engineering. Sometimes, the user is so dumb you have to assume they're woefully incompetent. I hate doing it in my line of work, but sometimes, things are designed the way they are for a reason.

 

[dmusicd]

zX507 does not update database upon startup or restart.

Thanks but why does this sound like an advert trying to sell me an alternative

I do know the ZX500 doesn't rebuild database on startup and while I can't wait to try it, with everybody waxing eloquent about it's new and improved sound, I'm happy with the sound on the ZX300.

 

[dmusicd]

How much data do you have stored and is it on built-in memory or SD card? And how long does it take to build the database? I've commented before that it used to take several minutes but with more recent firmware versions it's much faster...

Think I have about 30 gigs of DSD on the internal storage, leaving the rest (minus the OS) of the 64 gig free.

The external storage is filled to about 200 gigs of FLACs and mp3s (of 250 gigs)

It's on the latest firmware.

I'm guessing it takes bout a minute half to startup and create the database, no biggie if I'm using the device once a day. Very annoying if I use it more often.

 

[dmusicd]

I've found that root canal work is probably less painful than getting useful help from Sony (IMHO, of course)

That sucks mate. Do hope the issue gets resolved.

Happy New Year to all

 

[dmusicd]

Imagine if, while it was off, you yanked the SD card out and put more music in. You'd have no way of telling if there was new music when it's turned on.

That's one imagine vs the numerous times that users switch their devices off. Besides Sony could just mention the solution in the user manual, if not, a Google search would bring it up or lead to 700 odd pages of Head-Fi

elegant solution is to do it manually such that you the user will press it themselves

Yep.

Another solution would be, to have it create the database when USB is turned on/ off.

However, if you do that, a lot of people won't realise ...world of usability engineering...designed the way they are for a reason.

With ZX507 Sony realised the user isnt so dumb.

Now if only they give some credit to the ZX300 users and release a firmware with the same.

 

[tonyg1]

That's because you're dealing with customer service techs, who didn't design the damn thing.

Honestly, unless it's an actual fault, don't bother with them, especially with things as nitpicky as localisation (which Sony is notorious for).

The Saved Sound Settings thing took me a bit before I understood what it was trying to say. Hardly the end of the world, and hardly worse than a root canal.

The rebuild does make sense from a redundancy perspective. Imagine if, while it was off, you yanked the SD card out and put more music in. You'd have no way of telling if there was new music when it's turned on. Now, the alternative is to do a delta scan, like how all smartphones' apps do it nowadays. However, that requires a lot of CPU power to do, something the ZX300 lacks in a bid to save battery.

Now, the more elegant solution is to do it manually such that you the user will press it themselves. However, if you do that, a lot of people won't realise that's a thing, and then promptly complain when their music doesn't show up.

This is the world of usability engineering. Sometimes, the user is so dumb you have to assume they're woefully incompetent. I hate doing it in my line of work, but sometimes, things are designed the way they are for a reason.

Fair point about removing the SD card to add music; it hadn't occurred to me because I generally update over the USB connection.

It wasn't just the Saved Sounds issue that I was comparing to root canal work , it was more around the customer service & support side in general (i.e. long and painful). I run an iMac, not a Windows PC; Sony's WM content management software for Mac won't run on later versions of Mac OS (High Sierra and Catalina), and Sony have told me that they have no plans to update it. It's not a problem for transferring media - I use Bombich CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner), which syncs content on the NW-ZX300 storage with Music on my iMac automatically whenever I connect via USB. But updating firmware is a pain because I have to find someone with a PC running a compatible version of Windows and download the Windows version of the firmware installer (I don't know anyone with a Mac that's still running a 3-year old version of the OS). I haven't been able to find any way of getting the raw firmware file and transferring it to the NW-ZX300.
.

 

[starck86]

Install windows on your Mac via bootcamp, boot into windows and install firmware. Problem solved. Agreed it’s ridiculous they haven’t updated the software though.

 

[FrankieZappa]

Fair point about removing the SD card to add music; it hadn't occurred to me because I generally update over the USB connection.
It wasn't just the Saved Sounds issue that I was comparing to root canal work , it was more around the customer service & support side in general (i.e. long and painful). I run an iMac, not a Windows PC; Sony's WM content management software for Mac won't run on later versions of Mac OS (High Sierra and Catalina), and Sony have told me that they have no plans to update it.
.

What do you mean? I have 10.14 Mojave (exactly between 10.13 High Sierra and 10.15 Catalina) on my Mac mini and I can update my firmware without problems...

 

[Lookout57]

I can update any of my Sony DAPs on a Hackintosh or mini running Mojave with no issues. However I am avoiding Catalina for now due to all the issues with it. Maybe when 10.15.3 comes out I'll update one of my systems.

 

[tonyg1]

What do you mean? I have 10.14 Mojave (exactly between 10.13 High Sierra and 10.15 Catalina) on my Mac mini and I can update my firmware without problems...

First off, apologies - I meant to say Mojave and Catalina. Neither content manager nor firmware updater will run on my machine; in both cases the files downloads OK but installation fails.

I have made sure that Gatekeeper is being by-passed, and i I have no problem with any other downloaded apps regardless of source. Obviously Sony Customer service just state that they don't support their software running on anything late than OS 10.13. Must be some kind of incompatibility but I can't find it. Someone suggested installing Windows on the Mac, which seems like overkill to me

 

[dmusicd]

Something that bothered me when I first got the player, is the erratic discharge of the battery.

There are times when I'll get 8 hrs out of it and no drop in the bars. Next thing I know, I'm down to 1 bar in the next 2 hours. (playing the same format FLAC/mp3 over wired)

I wonder if I got a rotten apple or if this commons across Sony DAPs? (WM1Z, 1A, ZX507 users?)

Along with a linear discharge it'd also be nice to have a percentage indicator in the future.