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WolfX700 Measurement of Sony ZX300

WolfX-700

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In the "Kaleidoscope" my friend sent me last time, there was a Sony ZX300. When I finally have some time now, I am ready to take measurements.

Photo.jpg


Everyone knows the build quality of Sony products, so there is no nonsense.

Start measuring
All the following measurements are performed using a 4.4 interface to XLR cable:
Dashboard.jpg

300R.jpg

50R4.jpg

Dynamic-Range---No.jpg

Linearity-(-20.jpg

THD+N-Ratio.jpg

SMPTE-Ratio.jpg

Crosstalk.jpg


Multitone.jpg

Multitone300R.jpg

Multitone50R.jpg


Okay,the measurement results disappointed me.

One More thing

Sony Digital Amplifier Features:

WB.jpg
 
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PPP

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I have measuring tools (ADI-2 Pro FS) myself and none of the Sony products I tested behaves well. Ranging from low end Walkman product to 10K USD Dac headphone amplifier, all their products perform very poor. SINAD of their Dacs are usually between 80to 90 dB.


DMP-Z1, which costs $10K after tax, has super high harmonics (around -90dB) and high noise floor. so are TA-ZH1ES or NW-WM1Z, which cost more than $3K.
 
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headwhacker

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underpowered, underperforming. Sony has really gone way far to the dark side. All marketing.
 

Herbert

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Thanks! I liked the design and was contemplating since the release to buy one.
Now I know it was a wise decision not to buy and that many decent smartphones measure better...
Really a shame for the Co-Inventors of the CD and many more things that shaped our lives...
 

majingotan

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DMP-Z1, which costs $10K after tax, has super high harmonics (around -90dB) and high noise floor. so are TA-ZH1ES or NW-WM1Z, which cost more than $3K.

Interesting enough, I have heard the DMP-Z1 paired with my ultra-sensitive CA Andromeda IEM and never once I've heard its noise floor on unbalanced 3.5mm plug since this IEM easily exposes Chord Mojo's and even Chord Hugo 2's noise floor which should be lower than the DMP-Z1
 

vitalii427

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I have ZX2 and will try to measure it with ADI-2 PRO FS
 

shal

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Hi,

thank you for your review.

I think that there is a problem on image of measurement.
The 300 ohm load and 50 ohm load are exactly the same ......
Second and third image of the post.
 

NTomokawa

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Too bad.

I wonder whether you could measure a few non-Android players.
 
OP
WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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Hi,

thank you for your review.

I think that there is a problem on image of measurement.
The 300 ohm load and 50 ohm load are exactly the same ......
Second and third image of the post.
I confused the image when editing in Photoshop. Thanks for reminding
 

NTomokawa

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IndolentAggravatingJunco-size_restricted.gif


Too many players are Android-based nowadays. If I wanted another Android device, I'll just use my phone.
Hence my interest in these mid-tier Walkman players. Alas...
 
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headwhacker

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Interesting enough, I have heard the DMP-Z1 paired with my ultra-sensitive CA Andromeda IEM and never once I've heard its noise floor on unbalanced 3.5mm plug since this IEM easily exposes Chord Mojo's and even Chord Hugo 2's noise floor which should be lower than the DMP-Z1
Most likely due to the high output impedance which are common with Sony Players.
 

majingotan

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Most likely due to the high output impedance which are common with Sony Players.

That might not be true on some cases as the Andromeda hisses quite heavily on the 3.5mm port of my Surface Pro which is notorious for ultra high output impedance (yes, the Andromeda literally sounds like a tin can out of the Surface/Realtek chip indicating the high output impedance). Though still, I just find that zero hissing interesting and that overpriced volume pot they put in there has perfect channel balance out of the Andromeda
 

PPP

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Interesting enough, I have heard the DMP-Z1 paired with my ultra-sensitive CA Andromeda IEM and never once I've heard its noise floor on unbalanced 3.5mm plug since this IEM easily exposes Chord Mojo's and even Chord Hugo 2's noise floor which should be lower than the DMP-Z1
There are various independent measurements, see for instance fig 15 from https://www.stereophile.com/content/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-measurements

noise floor is -140db on averaged fft, which is quite high (RME ADI-2 Pro can do around -160db). 2nd harmonic at -90db. Sinad will be around 80s dB.
I once did a 1khz fft and the result is the same.
 

majingotan

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There are various independent measurements, see for instance fig 15 from https://www.stereophile.com/content/sony-dmp-z1-digital-music-player-measurements

noise floor is -140db on averaged fft, which is quite high (RME ADI-2 Pro can do around -160db). 2nd harmonic at -90db. Sinad will be around 80s dB.
I once did a 1khz fft and the result is the same.

Yep. -140dB noise floor on avg fft while -160dB to -150dB for Hugo2/Qutest. DMP-Z1 should've hiss more without anything plugged in than Hugo 2, but apparently not the case at all using CA Andromeda

Side note: it's been reported by subjectivists that Andromeda hisses with Sony DAPs, but Z1 is definitely an exception in my subjective experience.
 

Tks

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Really happy to see DAPs appearing more often on the forum. I have a real aversion to almost all of them as many don't have proper testing done to them. Sony in my eyes is one of those companies resting on their prior laurels and I always had a hunch of this ever since I saw people doing basic tests.

Hey wolfman, was just wondering if you had any Frequency Response measurements? I think Sony has gotten so bad, where even FR from 20 to 20K wouldn't be flat..

Oh and on a side note, I could've sworn I saw an iPhone on your desk >_> Is there any chance you would one day measure that too o_O
 

YSC

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Interesting, and the fact that I can’t detect the distortion with my UERR in balanced! Bad ears for me

but one question did you turn on the direct sound feature of the zx300? I remember the Sony eq thing don’t sounded nice to me
 
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WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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Interesting, and the fact that I can’t detect the distortion with my UERR in balanced! Bad ears for me

but one question did you turn on the direct sound feature of the zx300? I remember the Sony eq thing don’t sounded nice to me

of course! I am also a regular user of Sony ... dating back to 30 years ago
 

YSC

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of course! I am also a regular user of Sony ... dating back to 30 years ago
good, nice to learn that my portable player is kinda.. crap :p and that I spent some $550 on it on my last birthday! I still love the portability and battery life on my UERR on the go though, a side proof that our ears arn't that sensitive to noise floor.

As a new member on the forum I am wondering that those tube amps and DAP like this one have high 2nd and 3rd harmonic distortion making the low SINAD no. yet the noise floor is reasonably low (no hiss or what for some normal grown up). I am thinking do you guys have any experience on how those will sound like? I mean... we know it is surely the distortion, but I personally can't think of why a higher pitched harmonic distortion will make ppl kind of feel like hearing a warmer sound per se
 
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