[Nicklikesmusic]

@flatnine
 
You may find it very difficult to find the X series brand new- it has been discontinued for too long. I searched for one everywhere before I got lucky. Even then I only bought it because it was half price and I was bored of waiting for the Z series to arrive. But you know the thing isn't perfect. That 'warmth' means it is great with older recordings but pair it with a coloured amp and phones and it may be a little too warm for its own good. For example one of my favourite albums to listen to is Madonna's 'Ray of Light'. This recording is rich in the mids with lots of effects and little treble. The 'X' loses out on just touch of detail. But....listen to any track recorded in the 70's and 80's or rock and the thing is sublime.
 
 
 My opinion is that if you have really neutral headphones the X shines. But if you don't then I would definitely try before you buy. I haven't heard a music player yet that excels in ALL areas, there is always a compromise. 

 

[FlatNine]

 
Quote:

@flatnine
 
You may find it very difficult to find the X series brand new- it has been discontinued for too long. I searched for one everywhere before I got lucky. Even then I only bought it because it was half price and I was bored of waiting for the Z series to arrive. But you know the thing isn't perfect. That 'warmth' means it is great with older recordings but pair it with a coloured amp and phones and it may be a little too warm for its own good. For example one of my favourite albums to listen to is Madonna's 'Ray of Light'. This recording is rich in the mids with lots of effects and little treble. The 'X' loses out on just touch of detail. But....listen to any track recorded in the 70's and 80's or rock and the thing is sublime.
 
 
 My opinion is that if you have really neutral headphones the X shines. But if you don't then I would definitely try before you buy. I haven't heard a music player yet that excels in ALL areas, there is always a compromise. 

 
99% of my recordings are jazz from the 50's and 60's. (Some of which have been remastered.)  The A865 is readily available. I've read conflicting opinions here on head-fi on the sound sig for the A series, ranging from warm and rich, to totally lacking in bass. Any thoughts on the A series?
 

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

@Flat
 
Sorry only heard it twice in my life for short periods of time with stock earphones. You are right, some people on this site think the A series is superior as it has a lower noise floor, others think the A series is a step in the wrong direction. Some MP3 players will reduce the background 'hiss' that is present in many older recordings but then I get worried about what else they are reducing at the same time! Sorry can't help my friend!
 
But if you like Jazz from the 60's+, Rock from 60's,70,s then  I think the X series is your thing.  Im sure one will pop up somewhere.

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

Just a few more comments regarding the later Sony X,Z,A Series. The DSP effects can be very good with older recordings. If you listen to groups like the Beatles or the Doors then these recordings frequently have a guitar in the right channel and drums for eg in the left with no apparent mixing. These appear right on your eardrums and the effect using headphones can be very strange and unnatural. The DSP effect ie Studio will mix the left and right channels slightly and it will become a lot more enjoyable to listen to. I find it best to turn off all processing for newer recordings where the producer has already 'mixed' these channels. I think the Z series has 'crossfeed' as an option which will do the same thing without any added 'ambience'. So if you like listening to older music then its another reason to pick up the X,A,Z series walkmans.

 

[maporter]

Just a few more comments regarding the later Sony X,Z,A Series. The DSP effects can be very good with older recordings. If you listen to groups like the Beatles or the Doors then these recordings frequently have a guitar in the right channel and drums for eg in the left with no apparent mixing. These appear right on your eardrums and the effect using headphones can be very strange and unnatural. The DSP effect ie Studio will mix the left and right channels slightly and it will become a lot more enjoyable to listen to. I find it best to turn off all processing for newer recordings where the producer has already 'mixed' these channels. I think the Z series has 'crossfeed' as an option which will do the same thing without any added 'ambience'. So if you like listening to older music then its another reason to pick up the X,A,Z series walkmans.

Cheers for this post, I believe DSP is now known as VPT (Surround) on the newer models. Just listened to both Beatles & Doors on my A865 using the studio settings & I've got to agree it sounded hell of a lot more enjoyable !

Thank you.

 

[FlatNine]

Quote:

Cheers for this post, I believe DSP is now known as VPT (Surround) on the newer models. Just listened to both Beatles & Doors on my A865 using the studio settings & I've got to agree it sounded hell of a lot more enjoyable !
Thank you.

 
I recently went so far as to put the A865 in my Amazon shopping cart, then last minute switch them out for Klipsch X10i's. But soon....

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

@maporter
 
It took me a long time to switch that setting on, having grown up in the old school of never wanting to use graphic equalisers or other mods. Im new to the portable scene but im quickly realising that listening to music through headphones is flawed unless you are listening to binaural recordings or have some kind of processing to create a semi natural soundstage. Hey, even Seinheiser have angled drive units on their open headphones that try to simulate a natural soundstage. But flawed can still be enjoyable and gives me the ability to listen to more music every day on the bus or train. But for some reason that studio mode gives the Doors music a startling realism, especially recordings like 'The End' which already had a very spatial feel .

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Im still waiting for the z series to arrive in Singapore and just picked up the x series as I found a 32 gb model brand new for half price. My family and I own lots of DAP's and I listen to them through HD598's intrigued by the difference in sound. I like to use my HD598's- not the best headphone around but plenty suitable to do this job as it has a very good ability to portray sound stages and this is the aspect that interests me the most in music. I agree that the Xseries sounds 'more hifi like' as the soundstage is similar to what you would expect if you sat in a rectangular room listening to a pair of speakers and it contains warmth that you naturally get from room furnishings/resonance from furniture etc. I also have the Ipod Touch G1 (wolfson dac) , nano gen 5, and Touch 4th Gen. Out of all the ipods I like Touch Gen1. The soundstage is so wide that it spreads the instruments out to the point where it is very easy to focus on them. But sometimes I wonder if this is how the producer intended the listener to hear the sound. When I first plugged my ipods into the HD598's I kept  looking up!  Years of loud speaker use has trained me to meet the image from in front of me and at head height and it took me a long time to get over this.  The Xseries seems to represent the sound stage in a way allows me to get into and enjoy the music, the vocalist is appearing at head height and my soundstage 'box' appears correct.  The Ipod probably has the more accurate frequency response. Pick your poison!

 
I'm surprised at this, maybe I'm mistaken but I always thought the 1st Gen iPod Touch was poorly regarded for SQ. I've never heard of someone preferring on over a 4th gen before. 
 
I think I compared a 1st gen to my Sony A818 and found it a lot worse. The 2nd gen was better, if lacking the warmth of the sony, but being more accurate. Maybe I'm not remembering it right though. 

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

@sparky
 
Hey Sparky, im starting to believe that the best music device on earth is the one that we are currently listening to! 
 

 

[nekromantik]

I currently got a X1050 and love it for my electronic music but gapless missing is annoying as I have a few mix albums.
For my kind of music is the J3 a good choice or should I stick with the new A series?

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

@maporter
 
If you have time then go to Youtube and type in 'snakecharmer binaural'. Im listening to this on my work rubbish for sound quality toshiba laptop and the spaciousness and pin point accuracy of this recording is breathtaking  due to the recording technique.

 

[maporter]

Cheers Nick,

That's pretty damn good, I'm off to use the search feature as I seen a thread here somewhere on binaural recordings.

Mark

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

@nekro
 
Last night I had a serious second listen to the ibasso dx100. I reckon that if you have the funds then this is the DAP to get if you just want sound quality and don't need something for the bus or train. I really think it is a clear step up from the ipods or walkmans and the difference is very easy to pick out. But then again $USD800 in my country should be a step up at the very least!

 

[nekromantik]

Quote:

@nekro
 
Last night I had a serious second listen to the ibasso dx100. I reckon that if you have the funds then this is the DAP to get if you just want sound quality and don't need something for the bus or train. I really think it is a clear step up from the ipods or walkmans and the difference is very easy to pick out. But then again $USD800 in my country should be a step up at the very least!

 
Yeah it looks good but its way out of my price range also I am after portable device I can take to work etc,

 

[Nicklikesmusic]

Yesterday I purchased the Z series as I had wanted one for a long time and they were only released in Singapore a few days back. I have spent several hours listening to mine. Im not disappointed but it isn't neccesarily better than the X Series- its just different. Here are my subjective findings when using HD598 headphones with all options off and tracks ripped without any compression .
 
Initially the Z Series sounds better.The Z Series has a more open soundstage. The midband is very clear. The Z series works great on my newer, modern recordings, Yello's 'Distant Solution' is punchy and detailed. The bass is there but not prominent or overblown. The whole presentation is more clinical (and some would argue a little more detailed). The X series has a more closed in soundstage maybe wears sunglasses compared to the Z but older recordings from the 70's, 80's just sound so right. Listening to early 80's music on the X sounds 'full' as if a turntable was spinning whilst on the Z it sounds a touch thin. I picked out new details whilst listening to the Z, then went back to the X and found that they were still there but hadn't been so apparent. Again I think the midband of the Z is quite revealing. They had this same issue with early CD players. Brands such as Philips would produce a warmer less detailed sound whilst the Denon's DCD1500 for example were more cold,clinical and ultimately revealing. Both appealed to different tastes. Off the topic now but only recently have CD players managed to do both equally well. Rega's Apollo will 'analyse' the disc for a few seconds before presumably adjusting the output characteristics of the DAC. But when it comes to Walkman's you must choose the model that appeals to your listening taste.  All the best