[MrWalkman]

No official line out isn't a big deal. You can't bypass Sony amp, but "double amping" when the Sony Amp is purely digital isn't a big deal. Put it on direct Audio, low gain, and say 100/120 and feed to whatever amp you plan to

Using an USB dongle with its own DAC is bypassing the Sony amp.

When I connect a USB C to headphone dongle I can play audio with any player app (VLC, FooBar) through the dongle.
With Music player app it sees the dongle and asks permission to access the device, but plays through the dongle when access is given.

This sounds like the Music player app handles the USB dongle directly, while for the other apps it uses the general Android USB output.

The permission request is similar to how UAPP works with USB DACs.

 

[Death_Block]

the direct audio must have been the confusing culprit for me

 

[Devodonaldson]

Using an USB dongle with its own DAC is bypassing the Sony amp.



This sounds like the Music player app handles the USB dongle directly, while for the other apps it uses the general Android USB output.

The permission request is similar to how UAPP works with USB DACs.

I'm aware. He asked about line out, which is an analog function. Many DAPs have a line out that can be used to an additional amp that bypasses the amplification of the DAP. zx500 does not, but being purely digital source you won't affect the other amp as long as the volume gain isn't too high on the zx507

 

[Gus141]

I hope Sony implements USB-DAC input capabilities at some point; in other words using it like you would use a Chord Mojo, but with a great balanced amp stage.

Certainly I love using the ZX507 and my other DAPs as stand alone music players, but some streaming apps just don’t bypass Android SRC (like Apple Music on the ZX507). I recently bought a FiiO M11 Plus LTD which does play bit-perfectly Apple Music Lossless/High-Res content.

Last year I didn’t have any portable USB DACs with 4.4mm balanced output, now I have 2 (LP S1 and L&P W2) which I use with my iPhone and iPad. But since I love the sound of the ZX507, I wonder how good Apple Music Lossless bit-perfectly output from an iPad Pro via USB-C to a ZX507 acting as a USB-DAC and headphone amp would sound through its 4.4mm output. I think it would be awesome, especially since I use almost exclusively Sony headphones and IEMs.

But, we may never know

 

[Devodonaldson]

I hope Sony implements USB-DAC input capabilities at some point; in other words using it like you would use a Chord Mojo, but with a great balanced amp stage.

Certainly I love using the ZX507 and my other DAPs as stand alone music players, but some streaming apps just don’t bypass Android SRC (like Apple Music on the ZX507). I recently bought a FiiO M11 Plus LTD which does play bit-perfectly Apple Music Lossless/High-Res content.

Last year I didn’t have any portable USB DACs with 4.4mm balanced output, now I have 2 (LP S1 and L&P W2) which I use with my iPhone and iPad. But since I love the sound of the ZX507, I wonder how good Apple Music Lossless bit-perfectly output from an iPad Pro via USB-C to a ZX507 acting as a USB-DAC and headphone amp would sound through its 4.4mm output. I think it would be awesome, especially since I use almost exclusively Sony headphones and IEMs.

But, we may never know

How to you feel about competition between your m11 and zx507? I recently got a Shanling m8. I'm enamored with this thing. I like Sony sound, but m8 gives more detail without being bright, like I feel Fiio does. I honestly don't feel the need to listen to my Sony anymore. Everything sounds better to me with the Shanling

 

[qua2k]

How to you feel about competition between your m11 and zx507? I recently got a Shanling m8. I'm enamored with this thing. I like Sony sound, but m8 gives more detail without being bright, like I feel Fiio does. I honestly don't feel the need to listen to my Sony anymore. Everything sounds better to me with the Shanling

Feel the same with Lotoo. selling my 507 as a result

 

[Devodonaldson]

Feel the same with Lotoo. selling my 507 as a result

Yeah, gonna be putting up my 507 as well. It was my first DAp, got it last year, and I was ready to upgrade.

 

[qua2k]

Yeah, gonna be putting up my 507 as well. It was my first DAp, got it last year, and I was ready to upgrade.

Same here other than my old iPods. It really is a great DAP but even with the uncapped version, it just wasn't enough power for my Eikons or Starlights through 4.4 balanced. i really did not want a dongle or amp in addition to the player... tried ifi hip dac/cobalt/TRamp. Lotoo is clean, options are crazy, and handles what i need without another piece of hardware.

 

[Gus141]

How to you feel about competition between your m11 and zx507? I recently got a Shanling m8. I'm enamored with this thing. I like Sony sound, but m8 gives more detail without being bright, like I feel Fiio does. I honestly don't feel the need to listen to my Sony anymore. Everything sounds better to me with the Shanling

I understand where you are coming from. For me, the M11+ (I had an M11 Pro before) is bright and clinical and not as musical as Shanling or Sony. I was going to buy a Shanling M8 instead of the M11+ but the newish SOC and Android 10 (versus Android 7, which I already had on the M11 Pro) pushed me over the M11+ side for some future-proofing. The FiiO brightness really depends on the headphones/earphones you use, and I find the bass-centric Sony headphones & IERs I own work well and still sound musical (but the Sony ZX507 always sounded better). When I ditched TIDAL and moved to Apple Music (AM) Lossless I needed a DAP that played AM bit perfect. The FiiO M11+ fit the bill and I have been very happy.

That said, I’m really looking forward to the Shanling M9 (Limited Edition) that may (?) come out this fall.

 

[Gus141]

Same here other than my old iPods. It really is a great DAP but even with the uncapped version, it just wasn't enough power for my Eikons or Starlights through 4.4 balanced. i really did not want a dongle or amp in addition to the player... tried ifi hip dac/cobalt/TRamp. Lotoo is clean, options are crazy, and handles what i need without another piece of hardware.

Yeah, power can be a concern (I feel for the EU folks with the volume cap). I do like my dongles though when I don’t need a DAP. For example, I love doing music discovery on the relatively huge screen of my iPad Pro 12.9” connected to a L&P W2 dongle via USB-C, output to Sony IER-Z1R IEMS from the 4.4mm balanced out. Or, my favorite “DAP” may just be the iPhone 12 Mini with a Lotoo Paw S1 (combined weight still below that of the ZX507) and sounds better in my humble opinion.

Cheers,
Gus

 

[abuanw]

For those with IER-M9 , I found a DSP setup that is quite nice sounding to my ears. Let's call it: Better sounding Westone. Go try out and see if it suits you.

High Gain
DSEE HX: ON
DC Phase Linearizer: Type A High
Dynamic Normalizer: OFF
Vinyl Processor: Turntable
Equalizer: Relaxed

I followed your settings for my Andro-gold and seems I won't be changing it very soon. lol!
Thanks for sharing it!

Andromeda-GOLD

High Gain: OFF ( due to its only 1ohm with the upgraded balance cable )
DSEE HX: ON
DC Phase Linearizer: Type A High
Dynamic Normalizer: ON ( Andros are very sensitive to even smallest volume change )
Vinyl Processor: Turntable
Equalizer: Relaxed

 

[shadowoflight]

....there's no microsd slot for this?

 

[rlw6534]

....there's no microsd slot for this?

Yes, the ZX500 had a microsd slot that works fine,

 

[291079]

my zx507 is up for sale if anyone is interested

 

[Loftprojection]

my zx507 is up for sale if anyone is interested

May I ask what DAP you switched to? I’m waiting on the new Shanling M9 to make my move unless Sony grants me a wish and come up with a new modern 1Z/1A! Haha