[Sonywalkmanuser]

Key analog hardware differences between ZX707 and WM1AM2:

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

 

[mt877]

This is correct battery spec. The ZX707 runs on a more power hungry but faster running QCS4290 SOC as compared to the A300 which runs on a slower but more power efficient QCS2290.

https://www.hayaponlog.site/entry/2023/01/11/182515

I visited the page (Google translated) and I understand the X707 is more power hungry than the A300, so don't expect as long battery life. But the spec is A300 playing 44.1KHz FLAC vs ZX707 playing 128kbps MP3. So what is ZX707 battery life playing 44.1KHz FLAC files? This is where I hope Sony put out the wrong spec. I hope the spec is ZX707 has 25 hours playing 44.1KHz FLAC, not 25 hours playing 128kbps MP3 files. I hope you see what I'm talking about.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

ZX707 3.5mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 25 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 23 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 21 hours

ZX707 4.4mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 24 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 23 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 21 hours

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/1302/v1/en/contents/TP1000752531.html


A306 3.5mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 36 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 32 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 32 hours

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/1301/v1/en/contents/TP1000752530.html

 

[Scubadevils]

I'm definitely buying this, looks stunning and absolutely the DAP I've been looking for in terms of a more portable use-case for walking and travel. Can't wait, and hope easy enough to bring one into Ireland without the volume cap... I'll be keeping an eye on Amazon Japan!

 

[mt877]

ZX707 3.5mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 25 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 23 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 21 hours

ZX707 4.4mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 24 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 23 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 21 hours

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/1302/v1/en/contents/TP1000752531.html


A306 3.5mm
FLAC (44.1 kHz/16 bit)Approx. 36 hours
FLAC (96 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 32 hours
FLAC (192 kHz/24 bit)Approx. 32 hours

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/1301/v1/en/contents/TP1000752530.html

That is much better. Sony gave wrong info on their Japanese ZX707 features page.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

 

[Holdmyown83]

No sirrrr not touching anything Android powered.

 

[zenki]

No sirrrr not touching anything Android powered.

Tell me why

 

[rga02]

Very excited about this model, but I don't think I need it the moment it drops. I'll probably wait til the summer.....

But I am going to Japan next month, hopefully, I can restrain myself.

 

[RONJA MESCO]

The moment you turn on high-res streaming mode, there’s already additional spatial sound processing(virtual multi-channel surround). End of the day streaming music isn’t going to match the bit perfect quality of offline playback no matter how “bit perfect” it gets. And the fact is Sony’s upsampling to 32bit 176.4/192KHz is really good, especially if you use DSEE Ultimate, streaming music is (subjectively) more enjoyable.

Streaming music is subjected to dynamic normalisation by the app developer and you have little control in how these “audio engineers” at the streaming companies do things. Good luck trying to find streaming music that has the actual audiophile level of dynamic slams:
https://www.sonible.com/blog/normalization-and-streaming-services/

This loudness normalisation has already altered the original music and no longer music as the artist intended but music as the audio engineers at spotify/tidal/Amazon intended.

I wish my old WM1A had this with the old OS...sigh....

 

[RONJA MESCO]

The reason is written in this article:
https://www.grimmaudio.com/wp-conte...normalization-by-Music-Streaming-services.pdf



I think it’s because they surveyed mainstream(non-audophile) people with low quality earbuds/Bluetooth junk(sorry if you are Bluetooth audiophile but a lot of Bluetooth buds are P.O.S.) and somehow this added loudness normalisation helped to “improve” the perceived sound quality of their crap gear.

This is what happens when big data is used wrongly to implement a change for the worse.

But this is a niche product--even sony knows this--but yet they poll a bunch of non audiophiles who more often than not will use their phone and some Apple earbuds?!?

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

But this is a niche product--even sony knows this--but yet they poll a bunch of non audiophiles who more often than not will use their phone and some Apple earbuds?!

This is survey done without any consideration to audiophiles or for Sony Walkmans, the target is the general user base of tidal subscribers which are likely to be smartphone users with their earbuds and Bluetooth devices etc.

 

[big joe]

From Sony ZX707 features page (Google Japanese to English translated):

Improved battery life due to power saving​

By adopting a new platform, we have achieved power saving. In particular, power consumption during standby and power consumption when using music streaming services are greatly reduced. Continuous playback is possible for up to 25 hours (*1) when using the music playback app "W. Music" and up to 22 hours (*2) when using the music streaming service app (offline mode). We are pursuing battery performance that enables comfortable and long-time music playback as a dedicated music device.

*1 MP3 128kbps mode, when playing continuously with "W. Music" with wired connection and screen off. Depends on setting conditions
*2 MP3 128kbps mode, when playing continuously in offline mode with a music service app other than "W. Music" with a wired connection and the screen off. Varies depending on setting conditions

Right I've seen that, but you can find numerous reviews and anecdotes regarding the ZX500 and how it failed to come to close to it's own advertised runtimes. The same could totally happen here. Will it? I don't really think so but as with anything it's best to wait for impressions.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Right I've seen that, but you can find numerous reviews and anecdotes regarding the ZX500 and how it failed to come to close to it's own advertised runtimes. The same could totally happen here. Will it? I don't really think so but as with anything it's best to wait for impressions.

This over optimistic battery run times applies to every dap manufacturers, the manufacturer listed battery run time is not going to be reflective of real world usage.

Their methodology involves hitting the play button at 100% charge and not turning on the screen at all and not switching tracks and measuring how long it takes for the dap to shutdown. Also the volume they set would likely to be on the softer side and on low gain. Also they do not have microSD card inserted. And also all other apps(for android daps) are not running and all wifi/Bluetooth are switched off.

In actual usage scenarios, most people would be turning the screen on to browse albums and use some of the DSP and different gain settings and loudness. So the actual battery runtime is going to be anywhere from 80% to 40% of the listed battery run time depending on the user’s activities and microSD power usage.

For me I just use ballpark figure of 75% of what they list as the typical achievable run time for most users,