Sony Z1R....listening impressions only
Aug 10, 2022 at 9:47 PM Post #8,461 of 9,535
That brings back memories. My first dedicated headphone rig was the Earmax AE with AudioTechnica L3000 about 15 years ago

D5FA61D0-E06F-4832-90F1-A6CBAC5CAC2C.jpeg
I was given an earmax pro about a year ago by a close friend. Use it all the time with my 6XX and ZMF Auteur. Fantastic combos, both of them. It’s such a cool little amp!
 
Aug 11, 2022 at 12:28 AM Post #8,462 of 9,535
IER isn’t discontinued in Japan.
 
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Aug 11, 2022 at 1:04 AM Post #8,463 of 9,535
Is this the wiring when using a balanced 4-pin XLR? this a male XLR that's facing towards you.

2022-08-11 14_20_22-Can someone please confirm the wiring for Hifiman Sundaras balanced to XLR...png
 
Aug 11, 2022 at 3:57 AM Post #8,465 of 9,535
Damn, and I thought my Hifi dealer was exaggerating when he said that some version of the earmax has been out there for over a decade.
Nope, I got my AE 17 years ago so I guess the first ones must be around 20 years old
 
Aug 11, 2022 at 4:55 PM Post #8,466 of 9,535
Damn, and I thought my Hifi dealer was exaggerating when he said that some version of the earmax has been out there for over a decade.
Actually the first EarMax came out in 1994. My AE version came out in 2004 to celebrate the 10th anniversary, it was produced in 75 samples, 25 each for Europe, America and Asia. I later sold it when i went balanced with a RudiStor quad mono amp that I had until I bought the Sony TA 6 years ago
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 12:23 AM Post #8,467 of 9,535
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Aug 12, 2022 at 12:32 AM Post #8,468 of 9,535
Same for me after 18 months of owning them.
The title of this thread needs correcting as it is for the MDR-Z1R, you can share in the love on the official thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-ier-z1r.886120/
How’s that FiiO Bluetooth adapter? Is it only for wireless or does it have a 4.4mm output for the MDR? Also, with LDAC, can I watch YouTube comfortably with the Linkbuds S or any other LDAC headphones?
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 2:35 AM Post #8,469 of 9,535
How’s that FiiO Bluetooth adapter? Is it only for wireless or does it have a 4.4mm output for the MDR? Also, with LDAC, can I watch YouTube comfortably with the Linkbuds S or any other LDAC headphones?
The BTA30? I use it for receiving audio from my Nvidia Shield android TV box: LDAC Bluetooth > BTA30 > optical > TA-ZH1ES as my TV only seems to output SBC. It doesn't have a headphone output so needs to connect to an amp via rca, optical or coax. It can also transmit but I haven't used it for that purpose, I will try tonight with my LinkBuds S to see if it works.
What would like to achieve with it? What's your set up? TV, PC?
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 2:42 AM Post #8,470 of 9,535
The BTA30? I use it for receiving audio from my Nvidia Shield android TV box: LDAC Bluetooth > BTA30 > optical > TA-ZH1ES as my TV only seems to output SBC. It doesn't have a headphone output so needs to connect to an amp via rca, optical or coax. It can also transmit but I haven't used it for that purpose, I will try tonight with my LinkBuds S to see if it works.
What would like to achieve with it? What's your set up? TV, PC?
Windows Laptop. Using my WH-1000XM5 or Linkbuds S for watching videos or movies wireless occasionally
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 3:27 AM Post #8,471 of 9,535
Windows Laptop. Using my WH-1000XM5 or Linkbuds S for watching videos or movies wireless occasionally
It should work but a quick look at a review says for transmitting it can only receive a signal from optical or coax to output LDAC, does your laptop sound card have optical out? If it's USB it says aptX LL would be available (also HD?). It has an upscaling feature but I don't if it can only be used feeding an amp. I suppose your wireless ones are the main intended use, otherwise you can output to your WM1A/Z and then use you MDR-Z1R which I found good very for movies.

https://headfonics.com/fiio-bta30-review/

Transmission​

The BTA30 transmits with SBC/aptX/aptX LL(low latency)/aptX HD/LDAC codecs. This includes the low latency aptX codec so you can rely on it as a gaming decoder by choosing the codec as default in the controller app. LDAC is only supported for coaxial/optical input but not USB input.

You can also hook it up with a PlayStation, your TV, or the optical out on your PC motherboard. Imagine you want to watch some movies on your TV at night and you can’t turn up the volume or else the neighbors complain. This is when the BTA30 will be your rescue.

Simply connect to your PC/PlayStation via coaxial or optical then connect to your wireless earphones/headphones and you can get the full sound experience on your sofa. The BTA30 even supports low latency aptX (aptX LL) so you could game with it if you have headphones that support the codec
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 3:28 AM Post #8,472 of 9,535
The BTA30? I use it for receiving audio from my Nvidia Shield android TV box: LDAC Bluetooth > BTA30 > optical > TA-ZH1ES as my TV only seems to output SBC. It doesn't have a headphone output so needs to connect to an amp via rca, optical or coax. It can also transmit but I haven't used it for that purpose, I will try tonight with my LinkBuds S to see if it works.
What would like to achieve with it? What's your set up? TV, PC?
Im going BluRay Player --> COAX --> TA-ZH1ES for Concerts and TV --> Optical --> TA-ZH1ES for everything else.

I was thinking about getting the BTA30 to use LDAC with my DAP. So TV --> Optical --> BTA30 --> LDAC --> DAP

TV --> SBC --> BTA30 --> Optical --> TA-ZH1ES sounds like a strange chain. For most content it probably doesn´t matter that much, but for me personally it feels unnatural :D

For my Notebook im using LDAC directly from the Notebook, but as far as i know, that does not work on Windows sadly as Microsoft is not willing (or just doesn't care) to support LDAC.
 
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Aug 12, 2022 at 3:34 AM Post #8,473 of 9,535
It should work but a quick look at a review says for transmitting it can only receive a signal from optical or coax to output LDAC, does your laptop sound card have optical out? If it's USB it says aptX LL would be available (also HD?). It has an upscaling feature but I don't if it can only be used feeding an amp. I suppose your wireless ones are the main intended use, otherwise you can output to your WM1A/Z and then use you MDR-Z1R which I found good very for movies.

https://headfonics.com/fiio-bta30-review/

Transmission​

The BTA30 transmits with SBC/aptX/aptX LL(low latency)/aptX HD/LDAC codecs. This includes the low latency aptX codec so you can rely on it as a gaming decoder by choosing the codec as default in the controller app. LDAC is only supported for coaxial/optical input but not USB input.

You can also hook it up with a PlayStation, your TV, or the optical out on your PC motherboard. Imagine you want to watch some movies on your TV at night and you can’t turn up the volume or else the neighbors complain. This is when the BTA30 will be your rescue.

Simply connect to your PC/PlayStation via coaxial or optical then connect to your wireless earphones/headphones and you can get the full sound experience on your sofa. The BTA30 even supports low latency aptX (aptX LL) so you could game with it if you have headphones that support the codec
With the BTA30 Pro, USB Input, Bluetooth Output is working. Not sure if the same is true for the Standard BTA30. Nope, only the Pro, just checked.
 
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Aug 12, 2022 at 4:05 AM Post #8,474 of 9,535
Perhaps the BTA30 Pro is what I’m thinking of.
 
Aug 12, 2022 at 4:35 AM Post #8,475 of 9,535
Im going BluRay Player --> COAX --> TA-ZH1ES for Concerts and TV --> Optical --> TA-ZH1ES for everything else.

I was thinking about getting the BTA30 to use LDAC with my DAP. So TV --> Optical --> BTA30 --> LDAC --> DAP

TV --> SBC --> BTA30 --> Optical --> TA-ZH1ES sounds like a strange chain. For most content it probably doesn´t matter that much, but for me personally it feels unnatural :D

For my Notebook im using LDAC directly from the Notebook, but as far as i know, that does not work on Windows sadly as Microsoft is not willing (or just doesn't care) to support LDAC.
My TV is across the room from my TA so the BTA30 achieves that connection (I tried a 5 metre optical cable but that was ugly), I've only recently embraced bluetooth for video to do away with cable complications. I intend to one day use the BTA30 to transmit from my blu-ray player to my WM1Z as my LG TV only seems to output SBC, perhaps as it is not android based? I've always gotten by with ripping my music blu-rays to MKV.
My android phone serves me very well for most of my audio/video requirements whereas Windows, even the new 11 seems to be behind the times in embracing an all-in-one full user friendly experience for audio and video codecs etc.
With the BTA30 Pro, USB Input, Bluetooth Output is working. Not sure if the same is true for the Standard BTA30. Nope, only the Pro, just checked.
I snapped up the last of the BTA30 in my country as covid was delaying, and pushing the price of things up so I didn't want to miss out. The USB would have been good to have.

@Gamerlingual I realise I don't have optical out of my PC to test with Windows but all reviews I have checked seem to show that it should work with the Pro and output to wireless headphones, the only thing is you won't achieve the same tap controls, maybe only pause.
 

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