[BurritoJustice]

Ha ha I bet most of us couldn't hear the difference between the original and the re-sampled android file

There is one thing I like about an android dap- it's being able to mess around with all the different players available.

I believe hiby, neutron, and fiio all bypass android src. But streaming, that could be a problem.

You're absolutely right, and my response is a bit of an overreaction. It just is behind the curve of current android android players and at a premium versus other DAPs it's a disappointment to have a downgrade. The players you mention circumvent the SRC systemwide. UAPP is popular to circumvent this on most android devices, though it's streaming support is limited.

Forgive my ignorance, but does the sample rate converter leave 44.1/16 untouched or is it upsampled to 48kHz? Google gives mixed results for this for Android.

I don't care much for higher sample rates or higher bit rates (except in the case of digital volume), but upsampling/resampling just seems like an unreasonable compromise for a dedicated $900 device.

 

[abitdeef]

You're absolutely right, and my response is a bit of an overreaction. It just is behind the curve of current android android players and at a premium versus other DAPs it's a disappointment to have a downgrade. The players you mention circumvent the SRC systemwide. UAPP is popular to circumvent this on most android devices, though it's streaming support is limited.

Forgive my ignorance, but does the sample rate converter leave 44.1/16 untouched or is it upsampled to 48kHz? Google gives mixed results for this for Android.

I don't care much for higher sample rates or higher bit rates (except in the case of digital volume), but upsampling/resampling just seems like an unreasonable compromise for a dedicated $900 device.

No you're absolutely right, I'm using hiby r5 right now and it's fantastic, plus it bypasses the src and it's only 400 dollars. Plus you got the fiio m11, and the shanling m6 and the ibasso dx160.

Lots of competition for the zx500 and it's all cheaper. But Sony has a fantastic UI and usually no bugs, and I always think of my first walkmans, and discmans so there is that sentimental connection with me

Oh I'm not sure about the re sample rate, I always thought it was 48.

 

[superuser1]

It depends on the SoC or the DSP they would be using. It could be like most SD based phones, converted to 44.1

 

[Leetransform25]

Do we actually know for a fact that the ZX500 doesn't have SRC and down samples everything outside of the app to 16/44 based on what that article said? Do we know if it's reliable enough. And given that it is true, will it be possible to add SRC in an update?

 

[Tickbook]

Do we actually know for a fact that the ZX500 doesn't have SRC and down samples everything outside of the app to 16/44 based on what that article said? Do we know if it's reliable enough. And given that it is true, will it be possible to add SRC in an update?

If my understanding is correct, it is the SRC that down converts music played outside the app.

The article says that ZX500 down samples music when playing through streaming service due to SoC’s restrictions. Regarding the fact that the author interviewed a staff in charge of WALKMAN development, I’d say the contents are somewhat reliable. However, we still have to wait for Sony’s official announcement for the specifications.

Would be happy if Sony can bypass the SRC through firmware update.

 

[Leetransform25]

If my understanding is correct, it is the SRC that down converts music played outside the app.

The article says that ZX500 down samples music when playing through streaming service due to SoC’s restrictions. Regarding the fact that the author interviewed a staff in charge of WALKMAN development, I’d say the contents are somewhat reliable. However, we still have to wait for Sony’s official announcement for the specifications.

Would be happy if Sony can bypass the SRC through firmware update.

Ah that's right, sorry I meant to say remove/bypass instead of add. Since it mentions streaming, will music stored on the device be unaffected regardless of what app you play them with (e.g Poweramp, Hiby player or UAPP)? If that's the case then it won't affect me since I don't stream that much if at all but a bypass update would still be ideal

 

[Tickbook]

Ah that's right, sorry I meant to say remove/bypass instead of add. Since it mentions streaming, will music stored on the device be unaffected regardless of what app you play them with (e.g Poweramp, Hiby player or UAPP)? If that's the case then it won't affect me since I don't stream that much if at all but a bypass update would still be ideal

All it says about the down sampling is when streaming so I can’t tell if third party apps playing local files are an exception.
It is kind of weird when the article mentions about the new WALKMAN being able to use Hires streaming services (Tidal & Qobuz, etc.), but it actually down samples to non hires format when playing on said services.
Doesn’t make sense at all lol.

 

[musicday]

USB DAC is a must for me, if they won't Include it, many will pull back.

 

[equalspeace]

If this is true, why even own one of the Sony hi- end players. There’s no point in running balanced or playing hi-re files. Makes me want to sell my ZX300,

Most likely. Not to mention that the walkmans can hardly be called hi-res DAPs given their SNR. For instance a 16-bit can give you an SNR of 96db, 24-bit potentially can give you 144db, but a sony zx300 has an SNR of <105db, so nowhere near being capable of proper 24-bit reproduction. Now, that's just the science as in reality it's all about the quality and mastering of the recording as a lot of the stuff is very compressed in any form, including the 24-bit releases. So if someone likes Sony then they should go for it as even if sony added something like DTA, it would hardly make any difference.

Personally, I do love Sony's UI and the new Walkman app seems to be heavily based on it, so if I decide to get the new walkmans it will be mainly because of it. On the other hand, the prices are way to high for what the new Sony give you, as for 900 bucks you can get a last-gen smartphone and pair it with a good DAC and you'll end up with a streaming portable rig with way better SoC and screen (and with probably the same battery life if you just use it for music and not for calls and browsing). I even wonder how long it will be till someone gets his hands on the new walkmans and manages to extract the walkman app and people start using it on the other Android DAPs that have a lot better hardware inside? Yeah, stuff like clearaudio and the likes probably won't work properly but for me it's all about the interface as the sony DSP features and more miss than hit anyway.

 

[purk]

If this is true, why even own one of the Sony hi- end players. There’s no point in running balanced or playing hi-re files. Makes me want to sell my ZX300,

Just use your ears to judge. Most tube amps measure very badly but often sound much better.

 

[kova4a]

If this is true, why even own one of the Sony hi- end players. There’s no point in running balanced or playing hi-re files. Makes me want to sell my ZX300,

It is true, but Sony is Sony, so it will always have its followers as a lot of people, including me, grew up using Sony Walkmans, so the nostalgia is a strong factor.

Second, while a lot of other Asian companies produce high-end DAPs nowadays, Sony is one of the few that provides a solid user-friendly experience with little to none software issues.

And finally, a lot of people just prefer the Walkman's house sound. Sony remains the only portable DAP manufacturer that doesn't follow the rest and instead uses its own digital sound processing and digital amplification, which kinda results in its specific sound signature, which a lot of people enjoy while others don't and probably what makes it not as proficient technically as other high-end DAPS using high-end DACs and opamps.

I remember a guy (on player.ru I think) who while commenting on the Walkman WM1 series put this matter very interestingly - something in the line that if the you imagine the sound as a photograph, Sony breaks it down and recreates it as a painting. And yeah, the painting provides a more simplified representation of the raw image, but it beautifies the image and makes it more appealing to some.

 

[kova4a]

To be honest, the main reason for my disappointment with the new Walkman models is not the price itself cozi I can afford it, although I can't really justify it.

What grinds my gears is that while the other manufacturers are utilizing better and better DACs and opams with every new model, Sony has been stuck sprinkling random stuff inside the DAPs with gold and making stuff more oxygen- and lead-free, which supposedly makes the sound clearer. Year after year we see stuff like "premium lead-free solder", "more premium lead-free solder containing gold", "improved circuit board for better electricity flow", "improved gold-plated circuit board for even better electricity flow", etc.

And then last year Sony released the DMP-Z1, which actually utilizes proper DACs (dual AK4497EQ) and analogue amp section. And that's the top Walkman on the market, so for Sony to change its design direction for it means that they do know that this is the way to go for high-end sound reproduction and properly powerful output. And yet, they still keep the same old design for their portable Walkmans despite the high prices and instead of utilizing similar design in them, they just keep adding copper and gold inside and call it innovation.

 

[Sven2015]

1. EQ via BT LDAC existing? -> after desaster with 300 -> needed without any compromise!
2. replayGain and other standards existing? If NOT
3. Install of 3rd party APK's possible?

 

[Tential]

I suspect the low power output has to do with their Class D amp design. Way back when the A10 series was released I had a chance to talk to a Sony rep about the poor power output. While their amp design is very efficient it does not scale well for added power. The DAP's would have to get larger and thus less portable and alot more expensive and battery size would also have to increase. Sony seems to use relatively small batteries in their DAP's.

Sony has to juggle manufacturing cost, power output and battery life as the profit margin is not huge on DAP's and neither are the sales compared to smartphones. It is all about making compromises when designing DAP's to make high enough profit margins to keep making them.

I find it insane that consumers who couldn't make their way around a balance sheet /income statement will readily make this excuse for a company. It always reminds me as a financial professional that if you get into trouble, let consumers explain it away for you.
It should be obvious, but 99.9% of consumers have no clue about the margin a company needs. If they did, they'd be working in financial departments of companies, instead of their job doing xyz task.

Hilarious that other guys are able to use more expensive parts than Sony, charge less, and yet consumers will still make excuses for Sony.

If you don't regularly tear apart a company annual/quarterly filing, aren't familiar with even a summary prospectus, etc. You shouldn't comment on this subject. I don't know why people are so eager to make excuses for companies that you have zero ownership of. Don't own stock of the company but more than ready to make excuses for them.

Do you have a confirmed source about SRC? Sony releasing a high resolution focused android player and not circumventing SRC would be a HUGE gaffe.

Probably the main thing I find wrong with Sony DAPs going forward is that IEMs are now coming out with extremely low input impedance (Andro gold at 7ohm, Fearless Roland at 4ohm etc) that their typical ~1.6ohm output impedance can colour the sound.

Fiio m11 is one of the most popular daps right now and doesn't have a full android src bypass.

It doesn't matter if you use uapp, or other bit perfect apps. It does if you like flexibility though.

Considering how many people already bought android daps previously, and use an android stack, I don't think it will hinder Sony.

They could use a bottom tier processor and Android src and people will still buy.

 

[Leetransform25]

1. EQ via BT LDAC existing? -> after desaster with 300 -> needed without any compromise!
2. replayGain and other standards existing? If NOT
3. Install of 3rd party APK's possible?

1) Yes, it runs Android so it will (The ZX300 really was not much of a disaster as you think)
2) Don't know as it's not officially out, but there might not be
3) Play Store is supported so APKs shouldn't be necessary

Again, why can't you just get an Android phone? If you're only going to use this with Bluetooth headphones it's not worth spending over $800 on this, which is only wasting your money even more. Even then I'm confident you'll find some sort of issue with this player. I've been trying to suggest this to you for the 5th time now but you just refuse to listen, even though there's no real purpose in getting a device like this based on your use case