[yakkosmurf]

   
Hmmm...just can't wait for it and hope that it doesn't have the stupid volume cap anymore

What is this "volume cap" people refer to?  I do only use IEMs with mine, but it gets plenty loud enough at only half volume.

 

[Vect]

Anybody has any idea of what would be the equivalent headphones for the iems xba-h3?

 

[estreeter]

  What is this "volume cap" people refer to?  I do only use IEMs with mine, but it gets plenty loud enough at only half volume.

 
It's Big Brother, but Sony's lawyers clearly didnt want to take any chances. 
 
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/98599-eu-imposes-music-player-volume-limit
 
You can play first person shooters on the PS3/4 until you have a seizure, but heaven forbid that you should damage your hearing with a portable player. 

 

[francopro]

  What is this "volume cap" people refer to?  I do only use IEMs with mine, but it gets plenty loud enough at only half volume.

If you intend to use a $700 dap only to drive sensitive iems , you're wasting your money dude !
 
Most audiophile daps out there have at least 50mw + 50mw of power output, the ZX1 offers just 15mw+ 15mw , it can barely drive a 40-50 ohms headphone !
 
Sony is teasing people to buy the PHA-2 along with the ZX1 so that you can recover the missing amp power to drive high end cans

 

[francopro]

   
It's Big Brother, but Sony's lawyers clearly didnt want to take any chances. 
 
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/98599-eu-imposes-music-player-volume-limit
 
You can play first person shooters on the PS3/4 until you have a seizure, but heaven forbid that you should damage your hearing with a portable player. 

lol , the article shows an Apple earbuds but everyone knows that Apple never applied the volume limitation to any ipod/iphone or ipad, neither did HTC !
 
So why only a few brands are concerned ? (Sony on every product, LG and Samsung on some smartphones, Blackberry as from OS10)

 

[yakkosmurf]

 
If you intend to use a $700 dap only to drive sensitive iems , you're wasting your money dude !
 
Most audiophile daps out there have at least 50mw + 50mw of power output, the ZX1 offers just 15mw+ 15mw , it can barely drive a 40-50 ohms headphone !
 
Sony is teasing people to buy the PHA-2 along with the ZX1 so that you can recover the missing amp power to drive high end cans

I think I can figure out if I'm wasting my money or not after 20 years in dabbling with high end audio.  The audio is definitely better on the ZX1 than my iPod Touch, but I'm waiting to get a chance to load more music for a more valid comparison.  One of my primary reasons for getting the ZX1 is for the storage space, as I'm sick of waiting for a 128GB iPod Touch.  I also wanted something that played the high res files I've made from life recordings a friend of mine has done.  
 
I appreciate the input and info on the numbers.  I'm debating about trying the PHA-2 after some more testing and listening than I've had time during a business trip.  This is all just a hobby.  No need to take it so seriously.  Part of the fun is trying new equipment that intrigues you and seeing if you're happy with it or not. So far, I'm happy with the ZX1.  

 

[yakkosmurf]

   
It's Big Brother, but Sony's lawyers clearly didnt want to take any chances. 
 
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/98599-eu-imposes-music-player-volume-limit
 
You can play first person shooters on the PS3/4 until you have a seizure, but heaven forbid that you should damage your hearing with a portable player. 

Thanks for the reply explaining it.  I have an international model that I picked up in Japan, so it doesn't seem to have this limit.  That's why I was confused.  Danka.

 

[estreeter]

  I think I can figure out if I'm wasting my money or not after 20 years in dabbling with high end audio.  The audio is definitely better on the ZX1 than my iPod Touch, but I'm waiting to get a chance to load more music for a more valid comparison.  One of my primary reasons for getting the ZX1 is for the storage space, as I'm sick of waiting for a 128GB iPod Touch.  I also wanted something that played the high res files I've made from life recordings a friend of mine has done.  
 
I appreciate the input and info on the numbers.  I'm debating about trying the PHA-2 after some more testing and listening than I've had time during a business trip.  This is all just a hobby.  No need to take it so seriously.  Part of the fun is trying new equipment that intrigues you and seeing if you're happy with it or not. So far, I'm happy with the ZX1.  

 
Well said. Personally, I find the ZX1/PHA-2 combination absolutely fantastic sonically - its the battery life (or lack thereof) that annoys the hell out of me. I'm currently playing around with a small iFi stack and a pair of PSB Alpha PS1 speakers(active) and its great to be able to use the iDSD from my iPad Mini without the Mini giving me the 'Power requirement too high - go away' message - it spits out the PHA-2 without hesitation but even if it didnt I know that it would be a few short hours before I had to turn the PHA-2 off an recharge it - with the current config I can annoy the neighbours for hours on end  
 
(For those who would question the value of a small speaker rig with that many gizmos between source and transducers, I know it's a lot of hardware simply to listen to a few tunes, but I dont pretend it's even 'transportable' - what it IS is fun with a capital 'F'. Anyone interested in these speakers really needs to be prepared to give them a few hours before making a decision - they're shouty out of the box but settle down nicely)

 

[Limexx]

If im using the PHA-2 with the F886 walkman, will it sound different if i use it with the ZX1 ? 

 

[Arymalik]

Hi, I just buy the ZX1, have a problem when using the Music player with Audio Clear+ ON or something in settings like DSEE HX ON, the sound doesn't come out, when i turn off all option, its normal. If I use the power amp, its sound normal.Already do factory reset or reset from back still the same... Somebody have a problem like me? Thanks in advance

 

[yakkosmurf]

Hi, I just buy the ZX1, have a problem when using the Music player with Audio Clear+ ON or something in settings like DSEE HX ON, the sound doesn't come out, when i turn off all option, its normal. If I use the power amp, its sound normal.Already do factory reset or reset from back still the same... Somebody have a problem like me? Thanks in advance

In my week of ownership, I have not seen that.  You get no sound out of the headphones using those settings?  I did find when turning them on that I got sound out of my headphones without issue, but I found the sound worse when using those features.  So, I have chosen to leave them off.  They simply seemed to muddy the sound more than help it.

 

[Arymalik]

In my week of ownership, I have not seen that.  You get no sound out of the headphones using those settings?  I did find when turning them on that I got sound out of my headphones without issue, but I found the sound worse when using those features.  So, I have chosen to leave them off.  They simply seemed to muddy the sound more than help it.

Yes, both back speaker and headphone no sound when i turn on the Clear Audio+ or some fiture in Setting, when i turn off, the sound comes out normally again, i think its time to send it back

Update: cannot use EQ too, when EQ turn on, sound fade away again

 

[Arymalik]

Is there a easier way to flash this thing with original firmware maybe? Thanks in advance

 

[estreeter]

  If im using the PHA-2 with the F886 walkman, will it sound different if i use it with the ZX1 ? 

 
The issue of whether one digital source is better than another has been around since the first CD player was released, but since I dont have both models I cant make a call re your question. What I do have is - IME - the first time a major corporation has admitted that they subscribe to the belief that solid-state components do require some burn-in to sound their best:
 
With the NWZ-ZX1, sound quality will change little by little after start of use and stabilize after about 100 hours of use due to characteristics of its “OS-CON”¹⁾ and “POSCAP”¹⁾ capacitors. 
 
http://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwzf880_zx1/v1/en/content/hires-mac.html
 
Based on that, the differences between the two players go well beyond the increased storage of the ZX1. Whether you agree with the 100 hour figure or not, it's interesting to see that they are prepared to put that claim out there - must have slipped by the marketing guys  

 

[West726]

I'd like to get an additional cable to connect my ZX1 to my PHA-2 -- what the PHA-2 manual calls "digital output USB cable for WALKMAN" that apparently works only with the ZX1 and the F880.  Anybody know where in the US to get this online?  I think it's a walkman to mini-b . . . but what is that 3rd prong?  Just a locating pin, or does it actually do something?