[mikaelberg]

I never noticed a gap between songs in FLAC on the stock player of my NWZ-F805 or NWZ-Z1050 (with latest firmware) though. Compared to playing MP3s, where there was a noticeable gap. 

 

[HONEYBOY]

So from scouting around some Taiwanese forums, I saw two posts with slightly different takes on the ZX1. Considering the fact that my reading of Chinese characters is mediocre at best, and the obvious subjectivity involved in sound comparisons; the hackneyed saying 'take these with a grain of salt' goes without saying!
 
Dude #1: (seemingly not that impressed, and appears to prefer a warm sound signature)
 
** Finds the transfer rate of the F880 and the ZX1 to be very fast. Apparently he asked to transfer his own music, and ~150MB was transferred in less than 10         
    seconds.
** In his listening impressions using EX1000, CK100 PRO and AD1000, his ranking for sound quality is: "

ZX1 > Z1070 >>> F880".

** OK so his 'Chinese' is too technical for me here. What I gather is that, with the EX1000 and F880, he finds the treble to be brighter, with higher resolution, but  

feels that the sound is dry and has no taste/flavour.

** He also finds the bass to not be normal, with an emphasis on high-bass. (still EX1000 + F880)

** In switching from the F880, which he finds too mechanical with the EX1000, to the Z1070, he finds EX1000's charm to be back in the Z1070s with a warm yet  

delicate sound.

** He finds the interface of the ZX1 and F880 to be almost identical

** Only the ZX1 has DSEE HX options.

*** I don't suspect the sound in the demos to be drastically different to that in the end product, but I think it's worthwhile to note that, this guy claims that it was  

emphasized at the Sony Store, that the the demo versions of the 

ZX1  aren't the final product and that they're still uncertain on the final sound. ( I was fishing   for info on this aspect in an earlier post.)
**   I skipped over quite a bit of stuff, and with Uncle Google's help. His first impression is that the ZX1, and the Z1070 have a different sound signature than what he was expecting. With the EX1000, and relative to the Z1070, the soundfield is more  open on the ZX1. Vocals are just a tad less forward, it's brighter, and there is a higher resolution treble which takes on a dry characteristic, but it isn't as harsh as in the F880.
** He apparently finds the bass on the ZX1 to be slightly better than that of the Z1070. ZX1 has better separation and there is a better sense of speed. Consequently, there is better separation and as such clearer bass.
 
** Due to the frequency with which the Demo versions have been used, some of the physical buttons now have poor feedback, and perhaps indicate that Sony needs to have more reliable ones in the final product.
............................
 
Dude #2 (Seemingly more effusive, but with few qualifications, and perhaps not as critical) His impressions of the ZX1 were conducted using IE800, and FAD Heaven V.
 
** His sense is that of all the generations of walkmans produced, the ZX1 is the best in terms of sound quality.
** It is the most clear, and refined/delicate...Didn't matter what genre of music he played, the ZX1 presented them extremely well.
** He CLAIMS, that from a Sony Walkman fan's perspective, as well as someone looking for a High-Resolution DAP, there is no doubt that the ZX1 will offer a pleasing (satisfactory) sound quality.
** BUT...in comparison to the AK100 MKll which he carried to the audition, the soundstage, and refinement on that DAP is slightly ahead of the ZX1, particularly with regards to treble transparency and extension.
** Moreover, if scalability, and portability are to be considered, his sense is that currently, the AK100MK ll is clearly the better option.
** It makes sense to switch/upgrade from an AK100 to the Sony ZX1, but if you already own an AK100 MKll or AK120, then that isn't necessary.
** He feels that the ZX1 has achieved a sound quality that is on the level (same playing field) as that of the AK100MKll and AK120.
..........................
I am trying to provide the links which will have way more information than I provided above, but I suspect you'd need to login anyways...(AndAudio)...

 

[AnakChan]

No Flac gapless? Most of my music files are in Flac. Why no love for Flac Sony, I am asking you? Is it really difficult to implement gapless, I mean that's a basic feature that makes our day with many albums (especially live recordings).

I don't need a recent added or artist or genres or anything like that. Give me good old folder view, I am happy guy.

I don't know if I can answer your gapless question cos with the demo units they didn't have any albums with gapless tracks. Actually with the albums I got into, there was only one track per album.

 

[Alligator]

So the only way to buy this is to import it from pricejapan.com in December or wait until ??? for it to be in the US?

 

[AnakChan]

So the only way to buy this is to import it from pricejapan.com in December or wait until ??? for it to be in the US?

 
I can't get a clear answer if the NW-ZX1 is a Japan-only or international model. The Sony staff in their Ginza gallery has not been able to provide a definitive answer.
 
By the way from what I understand it's also not as simple as Sony Japan deciding whether they want to release a product globally or not. It's a little more than just business profitability decisions by an entity playing in the background.

 

[f198]

   
I can't get a clear answer if the NW-ZX1 is a Japan-only or international model. The Sony staff in their Ginza gallery has not been able to provide a definitive answer.
 
By the way from what I understand it's also not as simple as Sony Japan deciding whether they want to release a product globally or not. It's a little more than just business profitability decisions by an entity playing in the background.

In this thread somebody said that he received a statement from SONY Nordic on Facebook that ZX1 will come to some European countries in april.

 

[Mython]

Quote:

So the only way to buy this is to import it from pricejapan.com in December or wait until ??? for it to be in the US?

 

  In this thread somebody said that he received a statement from SONY Nordic on Facebook that ZX1 will come to some European countries in april.

 
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/680853/sony-nwz-zx1-35th-walkman-anniversary-model/690#post_9899219

 

[AmberOzL]

I don't know if I can answer your gapless question cos with the demo units they didn't have any albums with gapless tracks. Actually with the albums I got into, there was only one track per album.

Thank you for the input AnakChan. I guess we will have to wait and see if the gapless works in every file type and play mode. It is rather important for me so I would like to be sure before taking a big step.

 

[kkcc]

I had more time with the F886 with my other non hybrid IEMs and am feeling better about the zx1 purchase now.

The F886 seems to pair best with low impedance multi-BA IEMs as the best sounding ones (compared to how these IEMs sound on other DAPs) are the jh13, tg334, and xba 4. It sounded worst with the ASG2, and not too good with 1plus2, er4s, re600, re400. They generally sounded veiled and flat, with mid centric sound and bass/treble rolled off. Not sure if this would hold true with the zx1.

With the jh13, both me and my friend thinks the f886 is on par with the dx50/ak100. Given the expected improvement zx1 has over the F880 series, it would seems earlier reports that zx1 would be somewhere between ak100 and ak120 should be our expectation. Though one may want to wait for more impression if planning to pair with higher impedance IEMs.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[DrSheep]

That's very good news, as I do have the WM-PORT to microUSB adapter that never works with my OTG cable or with my Android DAC.

 

[Noble-Geezer]

kkcc, without seeming to be contentious but I thought you said you had a listen to a demo F886?, you do appear to be back-tracking on your earlier estimation especially with all the IEM's you tried.
 
No-one will know what the ZX1 will sound like until it's released so assumptions are pretty much that.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Yay, F886 plus WMC-NWH10 cable really DO work with FiiO E07K even though external power should be required

https://twitter.com/suezou1018/status/390859325188493312

Most likely ZX1 should be OK as well so we should be pretty much covered if something compact yet more powerful (e.g. HERUS from RL) were necessary. Just saw more tweets but no replies so far

https://twitter.com/suezou1018/status/390784130348101632

https://twitter.com/suezou1018/status/391186825194139649

WMC-NWH10 itself should cost less than 30 bucks at the moment

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/offer-listing/B00FF086HE

Could anyone in Japan help us out here and find out what the pin config should be? Once we've figured that out on our own, we should be able to make OTG cables straight from WM-PORT to micro USB / mini USB / full-sized type "B" USB so it should look much better that way.

FYI - I already posted something related to DIY parts for WM-PORT here

http://www.head-fi.org/t/680853/sony-nwz-zx1-35th-walkman-anniversary-model/450#post_9858609

Great news, so f886 should work with centrance m8...

 

[goody]

Will the F886 and NWZ1 have english menu or is it only in japanese

 

[zilch0md]

I *think* I saw a photo, posted in this thread, of a ZX1 with English menu items shown on the display. 
 
Yes, a quick search found this postby KK-android: http://www.head-fi.org/t/680853/sony-nwz-zx1-35th-walkman-anniversary-model/345#post_9847245