[Sonywalkmanuser]

@purk

Please refer to my tweak in my signature to improve the player performance.

As for my own burn in experience of the zx507:
The first 50hours will be quite harsh sounding
Then 50 to 100hours will be smoother
By from 100hours will notice improvements to the transients and dynamics.
Also as it gets burn in, the soundstage will get progressively darker nearing pitch black.

 

[doolittle27]

Does anyone know how to check the usage hours? It was so easy to find on the ZX300 but I couldn't find one on the ZX500. Thank you!

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Don't think usage hours exist on zx507. I searched everywhere.

Even text searching of song is missing. (Zx2 has this song search function by tapping on magnifying glass)

 

[PocketClouds]

Personally, I prefer an amplifier to be somewhat overpowered if I intend to use it with a full-size headphone like the M7. I’ve never heard a headphone that doesn’t sound just a little better if there is some overhead (unused) power available.

Do you definitely need a DAP, or would a DAC/Amp work? If you could settle for a DAC/Amp, then the Sony PHA-2A is a terrific option. Great Sony sound signature, 3.5mm stereo and 4.4mm balanced outputs, and more than enough power to run anything Sony makes... I used it with the MDR-Z1R, and it was great.

Thank you Earbones, just yesterday I was looking around about the possibility of bringing a dac / amp but I have some doubt, I already have the Dragonfly Red paired with Huawei Mate 10 Pro which has a usb-c in only.. I want to know if I can get enough in terms of audible sound with another DAC/Amp (even with the clutter of the USB-C port in without audio input). Not so there is a big step forward, right? On the other hand I don't know that dap has enough power to feel the difference, and I'm not sure if I spend € 1500 in a dap (like Astell & Kern Kann Cube) instead of a 700 € dap I will have a better deal. If you know please tell me, I'm new here. Thanks.

 

[PocketClouds]

Thank you Earbones, just yesterday I was looking around about the possibility of bringing a dac / amp but I have some doubt, I already have the Dragonfly Red paired with Huawei Mate 10 Pro which has a usb-c in only.. And also I have the limitation of apps like USB Pro where I can't play audio from other apps like spotify... I want to know if I can get enough in terms of audible sound with another DAC/Amp (even with the clutter of the USB-C port in without audio input). Not so there is a big step forward, right? On the other hand I don't know that dap has enough power to feel the difference, and I'm not sure if I spend € 1500 in a dap (like Astell & Kern Kann Cube) instead of a 700 € dap I will have a better deal. If you know please tell me, I'm new here. Thanks.

 

[psikey]

Thank you Earbones, just yesterday I was looking around about the possibility of bringing a dac / amp but I have some doubt, I already have the Dragonfly Red paired with Huawei Mate 10 Pro which has a usb-c in only.. I want to know if I can get enough in terms of audible sound with another DAC/Amp (even with the clutter of the USB-C port in without audio input). Not so there is a big step forward, right? On the other hand I don't know that dap has enough power to feel the difference, and I'm not sure if I spend € 1500 in a dap (like Astell & Kern Kann Cube) instead of a 700 € dap I will have a better deal. If you know please tell me, I'm new here. Thanks.

You get to a point when they are just different minor "flavours" of sound IMO.

I've had a DFR and now a DFC which to my ears with SE846's is a step forward but your not talking massive differences.

The DFR was 'hissy' with my 8ohm SE846's while the DFC is silent.

Best bang for the buck with convenience is the new Fiio BTR5 I just got fed via LDAC BT from my A105 or S10+ phone over balanced.

 

[sander93]

It can be calculated, but it's not pretty, for a rough estimate just half the power for each doubling of impedance. Sony have the weakest daps on the market in their respective price ranges.

If you want an all-round excellent dap I can supply new AK SE100's for $1050...

It's really hard for me to recommend a dap under 1K, all seem to have significant drawbacks (for my tastes anyway).

I had listened to AK SE100 with my sony mdr 1Am2 in Ukraine 1 week before I listened sony nw 1A.
ak did not impressed me at all. on some songs sound was awful (cluttered) on high volume (like with iphone se)
ak sound felt aerial.
and sony's dap was amazing. clear sound. no cluttering. 1st time in my life I was listening music not like just listing, but I did it with pure interest. nirvana - polly sounded superb. on iphone it's not impressive song. but on sony it sounds very amazing.
ak 100 and sony 1a are the only 2 daps I ve ever listened to. sony 1a was selling at $1150 at one point, AK 100 at $1700-1800
now I am considering buying sony zx300. hoping for sound quality that is close to 1A, but is not so huge and can be put in the pocket.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

ZX507 is significantly better sounding off its balanced output.

If you have IER M9 balanced, this is my recommended settings:
DSEE HX ON
DC Linearizer Type B Low

DSEE HX heightens and deepens the soundstage and makes music more engaging to listen.

Type B Low makes IER M9 maintains vocal clarity whilst giving it deeper more extended Sub-bass.

 

[sander93]

ZX507 is significantly better sounding off its balanced output.

If you have IER M9 balanced, this is my recommended settings:
DSEE HX ON
DC Linearizer Type B Low

DSEE HX heightens and deepens the soundstage and makes music more engaging to listen.

Type B Low makes IER M9 maintains vocal clarity whilst giving it deeper more extended Sub-bass.

hello, did u listen to zx300? maybe u can compare zx500 sound quality/signature to zx300, can't u?

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Sorry but my nearest Sony store doesn’t have zx300 on demo.

but here’s someone in my country who has:

yappiie 02:40 PM 19-10-2019
Just tested the ZX500, Only the balanced, I don't have a earphone terminated with SE. The soundstage is noticeably larger, bass response is also better zx300, with deeper and punchier bass, mid bass also have a higher presence. Treble extends slightly better, not by much. Overall Fuller sound but sound coloured as compared to the neutral response of my zx300. Tested with Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered
Oh yes, the OS is no longer choppy and lag like zx300. Contrast also much better.

https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...android-based-|-nw-a100-nw-zx500-6107926.html

 

[sander93]

Sorry but my nearest Sony store doesn’t have zx300 on demo.

but here’s someone in my country who has:



https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/headphones-earphones-portable-media-devices-314/return-sony-walkman-android-based-|-nw-a100-nw-zx500-6107926.html

thank you, can u help me to directly contact yappiie to discuss details of differences. (that site refused to register me)

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

https://www.sony.jp/feature/owner/sound/wfm1910_lp/index2.html

Zx300 compared to zx500

Furthermore, the “NW-ZX500” goes beyond the boundaries of Walkman and utilizes Sony's high-end audio technology. It seems that the sound quality of the balance output has been greatly improved by installing the polymer capacitor developed for the high-end model “DMP-Z1” that was released last year and became a hot topic.

Matsuzaki: “This capacitor has excellent compatibility with the S-Master. The reproducibility in the mid-high range has been greatly improved. Of course, the capacitor design has been redesigned for single-ended (unbalanced) connections.“ NW-ZX300 ” Then, due to size restrictions, the same one as the lower A series was adopted, but this time, the housing on the mechanical side is cut to create a space, and a capacitor with a capacity of about 2.5 times is installed. This improves not only the bass but also the mid-high range. ''

Sato: “Also, the ZX500 uses the gold solder that was also used in the DMP-Z1. Sony has long been working on improving the sound quality of solder, but it incorporates the latest results. I use it in important places such as headphone output. ''

 

[Damz87]

Just ordered a ZX507 from Japan now for the long wait. Hopefully it arrives before Christmas!

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Found an old thread about sdcard.. Going to try out.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/imp...micro-sd-storage-performance-for-free.853271/

 

[Earbones]

ZX507 is significantly better sounding off its balanced output.

If you have IER M9 balanced, this is my recommended settings:
DSEE HX ON
DC Linearizer Type B Low

DSEE HX heightens and deepens the soundstage and makes music more engaging to listen.

Type B Low makes IER M9 maintains vocal clarity whilst giving it deeper more extended Sub-bass.

Thanks so much for posting this. I will also be using 507 with the M9, so this is great to know!