[cthomas]

Source question for the PHA3. I have a ZX1 Walkman and an Xperia Z5 phone. From a sound quality perspective, does one have an advantage over the other? The ZX1 is a way better source for my Z7 headphones, as the Z5 can't drive them well. But I prefer the music app on Z5. Thoughts?

No difference if you connect digitally. And yes, the z5 is ridiculously quiet.

 

[yakkosmurf]

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks for the insight.

Coming from me, your Zx1 will sound better in digital transport than your Z phone. It does matter, and even your cables does too

 

[yakkosmurf]

Cable recommendation?

 

[Krutsch]

Unboxed my new PHA-3, today. Running Audirvana+ with DSD128 up-sampling and listening with Sony MDR-Z7 w/ balanced cables.

Bought this for the week of travel, next week, and looking forward to really putting this DAC/amp through its paces.

So far, however... wow... what a sound.

 

[Rob49]

Unboxed my new PHA-3, today. Running Audirvana+ with DSD128 up-sampling and listening with Sony MDR-Z7 w/ balanced cables.

Bought this for the week of travel, next week, and looking forward to really putting this DAC/amp through its paces.

So far, however... wow... what a sound.

Envious. will never be able to afford Z7's or PHA-3.

Enjoy them !

 

[Whitigir]

Pha-3 video review

[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/folne8cazX8[/VIDEO]

 

[tradyblix]

Envious. will never be able to afford Z7's or PHA-3.

Enjoy them !

 
My advice would be to wait. Your income might be better in the future. Surely audio equipment of the 2020's will be better than what's available today... in the last 10 years a huge amount of great new stuff has come out. Save up the old fashioned way, etc etc. 

 

[tradyblix]

Any slight motion to the plugs...it stops the charges

. The biggest joke Sony could gave us lol....

I'm not really sure if this is the reason for the problems with charging which I definitely acknowledge exist... 
 
The reason I say that is that there is a red charging light that never goes out when charging while powered off and jostling the USB cable. 
 
(I do loathe microusb, they're not multidirectional like usb c or lightning and very finicky and they're not sturdy enough for long term use.. but I digress)
 
My thoughts are that if you don't start with completely full battery when using PHA-3 with computer source that it can use enough power for the SABRE to drain the battery and then turns off even if powered. But I've had enough bad experiences with the PHA-3 battery running out at the time I needed it most to acknowledge I don't know for sure. 

 

[alpha421]

  My thoughts are that if you don't start with completely full battery when using PHA-3 with computer source that it can use enough power for the SABRE to drain the battery and then turns off even if powered-

 
I can confirm this with my PHA-3.  After charging it completely full, and using a PONO charging adapter, I've had it play for 2 days straight without any hiccups. Like others who've posted, the charging unit is picky.  I don't have ipad chargers, and the few Samsung tablet chargers didn't register for some odd reason, but the PONO charger did the trick despite the same voltage and amp ratings. 

 

[Whitigir]

Trust me, any movement and the pha-3 will stop charging, I agreed on more powerful charger. Recommended 2.1 A minimum. The movements can be seen on the same audio digital in port as well, just move it, and it stop functioning

 

[tradyblix]

Trust me, any movement and the pha-3 will stop charging, I agreed on more powerful charger. Recommended 2.1 A minimum. The movements can be seen on the same audio digital in port as well, just move it, and it stop functioning

Hmmmm... This is interesting. I definitely don't have problems with the audio stopping if I jiggle it. I'm using Audioquest Tower USB cables. 

 

[Whitigir]

Hmmmm... This is interesting. I definitely don't have problems with the audio stopping if I jiggle it. I'm using Audioquest Tower USB cables. 

It only happens on the Pha-3

 

[tradyblix]

Have you considered that it might just be your unit or your cables ? 

 

[Whitigir]

Have you considered that it might just be your unit or your cables ? 

Nope, it is the way the Pha-3 was designed, my friend has the same unit, and it does the same thing. Since I figured that movements will stop charges, I never moved it while charging and listening, and used the 2.1A charger, it never run out of battery. It never even run low for the pass 5 months