[Szadzik]

Just to clear something up - those who talk about volume cap have no clue - I listen using my W4Rs and MX980s and if I go up to 20/30 on the volume scale it becomes unbearably loud. Do you need louder? If so, be prepared to go deaf soon.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Just to clear something up - those who talk about volume cap have no clue - I listen using my W4Rs and MX980s and if I go up to 20/30 on the volume scale it becomes unbearably loud. Do you need louder? If so, be prepared to go deaf soon.

Really? Because my W4R is just right at 20/30 of my A860 which is not volume capped.

 

[Shonen84]

Thanks for the insightful comparison. Owning an X series, I guess i will hold off either of these players. I recently purchased a Phonak PFE 111 (also own a Sennheiser HD 595) and these need the rounded bass boost the X and Z deliver.
 
I tried a new A series in the store and i can confirm its relative lack of bass boost (EU version). The treble and mids are fine, and seperation seemed a bit better, but the warm lows were gone. Build quality is fine, and the form factor and physical buttons are great. Its a step back from the posh faux stone and metallic controls of the X though.
 
The Z is huge and lacks physical buttons, which i know will bug the living daylights out of me. The price is also so steep, interestingly, the Blackberry Playbook with its Wolfson DAC and now 2.0 OS is cheaper..
 
It's a shame my X series' battery is dying. I only get 6 hours of 256 kbps+ from it anymore. But apart from that..I still love that little warrior.
 
So what do you guys think? Stick with X? Go for Z? Look at tablet alternatives? (Playbook)

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Really? Because my W4R is just right at 20/30 of my A860 which is not volume capped.

 
 
Yep. I do not know how loud you guys listen, but last night I was in my room, AC on - listening below 15/30 was more than enough to get the AC and any other sounds out of the way and listen to the music very comfortably.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

 
 
Yep. I do not know how loud you guys listen, but last night I was in my room, AC on - listening below 15/30 was more than enough to get the AC and any other sounds out of the way and listen to the music very comfortably.

Well, I don't know whether I listen to music loudly or not, I just know that it isn't screamy in any way. 

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

Thanks for the insightful comparison. Owning an X series, I guess i will hold off either of these players. I recently purchased a Phonak PFE 111 (also own a Sennheiser HD 595) and these need the rounded bass boost the X and Z deliver.
 
I tried a new A series in the store and i can confirm its relative lack of bass boost (EU version). The treble and mids are fine, and seperation seemed a bit better, but the warm lows were gone. Build quality is fine, and the form factor and physical buttons are great. Its a step back from the posh faux stone and metallic controls of the X though.
 
The Z is huge and lacks physical buttons, which i know will bug the living daylights out of me. The price is also so steep, interestingly, the Blackberry Playbook with its Wolfson DAC and now 2.0 OS is cheaper..
 
It's a shame my X series' battery is dying. I only get 6 hours of 256 kbps+ from it anymore. But apart from that..I still love that little warrior.
 
So what do you guys think? Stick with X? Go for Z? Look at tablet alternatives? (Playbook)

Perhaps try ordering an A series Japanese ver. or US ver. online? That would be better, I guess. 

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

A concert can also prove HI-FI systems wrong, so it's the same reason.

 
think you are completely & utterly way off the mark on this one, my old Arcam Alpha-10 bi-amped absolutely thrived on 'live' music (I have a large 'live' music collection)... my new Roksan-M2 based system will be even better, all my demo'ing for the M2 amplifier was done with 'live' albums.... the sources were Roksan-M2 CD & a Rega CD Transport & Rega Dac through Kef R-Series speakers.
 
the only weak link in the system will be the actual source-recording ie CD.... if the quality of the recording is poor then so will the sound be.

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

Perhaps try ordering an A series Japanese ver. or US ver. online? That would be better, I guess. 

 
buying a WM-Z is the best advise believe me on that one.... just read the mini-review thread on the WM-Z.... X-Series owners love it.
 
sorry but after my crap experiance with the Euro-version of the A-Series I cannot recommend the Euro version to anyone.... no doubt other versions will be different without the dreaded Euro volume-cap.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

 
think you are completely & utterly way off the mark on this one, my old Arcam Alpha-10 bi-amped absolutely thrived on 'live' music (I have a large 'live' music collection)... my new Roksan-M2 based system will be even better, all my demo'ing for the M2 amplifier was done with 'live' albums.... the sources were Roksan-M2 CD & a Rega CD Transport & Rega Dac through Kef R-Series speakers.
 
the only weak link in the system will be the actual source-recording ie CD.... if the quality of the recording is poor then so will the sound be.

I see, but only difference being that you will still have to set up the speakers in a style that will do the sound good. And it's really hard to produce a live concert feel without those live albums which many do not have. 

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

I see, but only difference being that you will still have to set up the speakers in a style that will do the sound good. And it's really hard to produce a live concert feel without those live albums which many do not have. 

 
it's not that difficult believe me, I get a couple of Granite bases, then a pair of Atacama speaker stands filled with Atabites, plonk my Kef R-300's on top of the stands, then plug in some Chord Epic super-twin speaker cables then your ready for the tunes.... speakers are about 5feet away from the amp (either side).
 
Yes you do have to be careful matching speakers with amps, 'two brights don't make it right' should be the rule of thumb. 

 

[Firefighter]

My choice of A865 over Z1000 was portability and not needing another Android device in my shoulder bag. After reading through this review, I'm happy that I setteled for A series. As for the EU volüme cap; I've been driving my A865 with IE8s ,and couldn't past the volüme level 25....sound is more than enough for me.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

 
it's not that difficult believe me, I get a couple of Granite bases, then a pair of Atacama speaker stands filled with Atabites, plonk my Kef R-300's on top of the stands, then plug in some Chord Epic super-twin speaker cables then your ready for the tunes.... speakers are about 5feet away from the amp (either side).
 
Yes you do have to be careful matching speakers with amps, 'two brights don't make it right' should be the rule of thumb. 

I see, only thing is that I don't like to use speakers due to the fear of disturbing others. Therefore I only use computer speakers. Isn't it easy how headphones don't need to be matched to achieve a good sound? 

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

My choice of A865 over Z1000 was portability and not needing another Android device in my shoulder bag. After reading through this review, I'm happy that I setteled for A series. As for the EU volüme cap; I've been driving my A865 with IE8s ,and couldn't past the volüme level 25....sound is more than enough for me.

The Z and A aren't that big of a difference as much as I can tell other than the bass and soundstage, which isn't really a big difference. But nice to see you enjoying them! 

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

I see, only thing is that I don't like to use speakers due to the fear of disturbing others. Therefore I only use computer speakers. Isn't it easy how headphones don't need to be matched to achieve a good sound? 

 
I know exactly where you are coming from... I live in a apartment too so I have to be careful with what I buy.... floor-standing speakers are a no-no for me so I'm limited to standmounts, the initial problems I had was to stop the bass traveling through the floor-boards... I was advised to fill my speaker-stands with an appropriate filler, which I did but although I did this tweak I still had a lot of bass traveling through the floor... I was going to rip the floor up and put a load of cork under the boards but I saw some granite-bases for sale on ebay for £150 and then read what this guy was saying about it improving bass travel in the floor... I wasn't stupid enough to pay £150 for what is essentially two concrete slabs so I went to a local kitchen supplier who supplied granite work-tops and got him to make me a pair for £35 (exactly the same as the £150 ones), I also bought some spike shoes... the end result was pretty amazing in truth, I had killed 90% of the bass traveling through the floor but there was an added bonus, the bass was more defined and actually came out of the speaker if that makes sense, resulting in a far superior sound altogether.
 
With my old Arcam-Alpha-10 system with Monitor Audio GS10 (difficult speakers to match) I swear you could actually feel the bass hitting you in the face (air pressure?), obviously I have happy neighbours now and it also means I can have my music a tad louder when they are at home without offending them... having a pretty good relationship with my neighbours (this wasn't always the case) they now inform me when they're out for a few hours or more, this is where I'm in my element music wise as I can have 'live' albums at a reasonably high level where the detail and power comes to the forefront & you just sit there with a massive smile on your face enjoying your music.
 
with regard to computer speakers... have you ever thought of going with 'near field monitors' instead?... there would be a big increase in music/sound quality.

 

[Jeremypsp]

Quote:

 
I know exactly where you are coming from... I live in a apartment too so I have to be careful with what I buy.... floor-standing speakers are a no-no for me so I'm limited to standmounts, the initial problems I had was to stop the bass traveling through the floor-boards... I was advised to fill my speaker-stands with an appropriate filler, which I did but although I did this tweak I still had a lot of bass traveling through the floor... I was going to rip the floor up and put a load of cork under the boards but I saw some granite-bases for sale on ebay for £150 and then read what this guy was saying about it improving bass travel in the floor... I wasn't stupid enough to pay £150 for what is essentially two concrete slabs so I went to a local kitchen supplier who supplied granite work-tops and got him to make me a pair for £35 (exactly the same as the £150 ones), I also bought some spike shoes... the end result was pretty amazing in truth, I had killed 90% of the bass traveling through the floor but there was an added bonus, the bass was more defined and actually came out of the speaker if that makes sense, resulting in a far superior sound altogether.
 
With my old Arcam-Alpha-10 system with Monitor Audio GS10 (difficult speakers to match) I swear you could actually feel the bass hitting you in the face (air pressure?), obviously I have happy neighbours now and it also means I can have my music a tad louder when they are at home without offending them... having a pretty good relationship with my neighbours (this wasn't always the case) they now inform me when they're out for a few hours or more, this is where I'm in my element music wise as I can have 'live' albums at a reasonably high level where the detail and power comes to the forefront & you just sit there with a massive smile on your face enjoying your music.
 
with regard to computer speakers... have you ever thought of going with 'near field monitors' instead?... there would be a big increase in music/sound quality.

I mostly listen to music when on-the-go. So I guess I will stick with portable audio.