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Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions,

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Posted on July 13, 2014 at 08:38:09
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10574
Joined: April 12, 2002
also comparisons to previous gear?
I'm thinking of ordering one in August, 30 day return period seems ideal.
Love it/returned it, whatever!
I won't be loading thousands of files, BTW.
Two Direct Comparisons I'll make are
SACD on Sony 5400 VS DSD Download, SFS Mahler, and Keb Mo for starters, then
DSD Disc VS DSD File Playback.
Identical ICs and PCs on each.
If it's not noticeably better than 5400, back it goes!
Of course I'll play it nonstop for somewhile, to get used to it, and initiate whatever Break in may or maynot occur, I'll have 30 days.

 

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RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 13, 2014 at 15:28:20
AbeCollins
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Posts: 46201
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002

The entry model Sony HAP-S1 sounds very very nice. I was impressed. I would expect the HAP Z1 to sound at least as good. The rest of it gave me some trouble so I returned it to Amazon. They have a great return policy but you have to be clear about why it's being returned.

The reviews on Amazon are for the most part all excellent, especially from "Amazon Vine" reviewers. Those are folks who get free product to review. I try to seek out the less than stellar reviews that reveal various minor flaws.

Good luck! Let us know what you think.





 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 13, 2014 at 17:48:23
gbeard
Reviewer

Posts: 646
Location: Indiana
Joined: April 21, 2000
I'm listening to one right now. I think it sounds very good (and maybe even better than very good...)

You do have to spend some time working with it though (and maybe even worth it...)

:)

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 00:05:21
Disbeliever
Audiophile

Posts: 1877
Joined: June 1, 2012
Sounds like its more trouble than its worth. Buy direct from Sony who have a no hassle 30 day try & return policy , thats what I did with their TA-1ES amplifier that got excellent reviews but I did not like its sound.

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 05:21:33
gbeard
Reviewer

Posts: 646
Location: Indiana
Joined: April 21, 2000
I wouldn't say it is more trouble than it is worth--not at all. It does have some glitches. Very much like when I first started using a Squeezebox and then a computer as my front end (which were both WAY more difficult to get working correctly). There are some learning curve issues and I would think a lot, if not all, of the usability glitches can be cured by Sony firmware and software updates.

As far as the sound goes. I love listening to it. In fact, the more I listen, the better I think it is. I don't disable any of the upsampling. Perhaps I am just not as anal as I should be... ;) I think DSD sounds great, but even better, I really like old 44.1 CDs through it too. The DSEE function is a toss up. Some things sound A LOT better, others...not so sure.

If Sony can quickly address the (mostly) minor complaints that center mainly around loading files, the HAP will be a terrific addition to the fine audio landscape.

My $00.02

 

I'd like to see a comparison between Hi-rez PCM and DSD., posted on July 14, 2014 at 06:10:32
reuben
Audiophile

Posts: 1637
Joined: September 28, 2004
A valid test would require that the files were recorded in both formats, or that they both used the same analog source.

-reub
Dark energy? Ridiculous!
We live in an electric universe.

 

Firmware Update 7/7/14, posted on July 14, 2014 at 09:36:12
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10574
Joined: April 12, 2002
at this Link- Actually, it says 8/7/14

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 10:32:39
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46201
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
The product being a hassle or the Amazon return policy?

Amazon has about the best return policy going.

- View my order online, click a button that says I want to return it, pull-down menu and select brief description of why it's being returned.

- Printout the RMA sheet and place it in the box.

- Set the box on the front porch and UPS magically shows up to take it away.

- Full refund goes to the VISA I used to purchase it (including any shipping charges paid).




 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 10:36:08
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46201
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
I agree that new products are rarely perfect but the Squeezebox was a couple hundred bucks. The Sony HAP Z1 is a couple grand! Big difference.

I returned my lower-end HAP-S1 ($1000). I'll reconsider in a year if Sony fixes the bugs. In the mean time I have my thousand bucks back. ;-)


 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 12:55:29
gbeard
Reviewer

Posts: 646
Location: Indiana
Joined: April 21, 2000
Agreed Abe, there is a big difference and trust me, I get your point. But honestly, I have not had one tenth the difficulty with the HAP Z1ES that some others have stated. Almost all of my issues have been ones arising from flaky network connections and poorly kept and tagged files in my music HDD. I understand where your comments are coming from: For $2k there should not be issues of any kind. I don't disagree.

I am not trying to be a fan-boy, or even a cheerleader. I just think it is a very good sounding product and I am enjoying mine.

YMMV.

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 14, 2014 at 15:45:39
AbeCollins
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Posts: 46201
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
I agree, it's an excellent sounding product that I look forward to trying again someday.

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 18, 2014 at 09:19:25
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15486
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
Thanks! for sharing.

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 21, 2014 at 17:54:23
veritas1
Audiophile

Posts: 17
Location: Northwest US
Joined: February 16, 2004
I purchased and returned one. As far as function I thought it was outstanding and it downloaded from my PC and worked great. I also added a 2nd drive and formatted it and that worked great as well. I also thought it sounded pretty good, just not as good ad the Playback Designs MPD3/ laptop that I was trying to replace. That was the nail in it coffin. Had I not had the MPD3 to compare it to it would probably still be here...that was a lot to ask and head to head it got pounded pretty good. It sounded as good or slightly better than my Sony XA9000ES but of course the Sony will play my MCH SACD's and the HAPZ1 would not so it is still here as well to play those SACD's when in the mood. I thought the interface was pretty slick when comparing to JRiver and a laptop.

 

So was it $6500 + Laptop?, posted on July 21, 2014 at 19:38:37
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10574
Joined: April 12, 2002
That's another league, financially speaking.

 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 22, 2014 at 19:08:08
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46201
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002

As far as function I thought it was outstanding and it downloaded from my PC and worked great.

I had just the opposite experience with the Sony HAP-S1 which is the lower-end model but otherwise operates the same way.

How many albums or tracks did you load to yours and at what resolution? I thought the Sony HAP-S1 sounded very good but operationally it was not ready for primetime.



 

RE: Would any HAP Z1 owners give their current impressions, , posted on July 25, 2014 at 17:52:55
veritas1
Audiophile

Posts: 17
Location: Northwest US
Joined: February 16, 2004
Wow quite a difference from my experience. I had the one 1TB original drive and a 2TB additional and over 15K songs in 44.1 thru 2X DSD. I was trying to fine a setup my wife could use much more easily than booting up the Laptop and starting up MC19. The interface was fine and seemed very responsive and user friendly to me. Only had it for 4 days and sent it back. I was trying to lower my investment and make a more user friendly setup. Only got the latter...yes the PB MPD3 is a much more expensive setup and I would have compromised it some but it just wasn't close enough to make the switch...even my non audiophile wife said after 3 cuts...that isn't gonna make it. No it wasn't fully burned in and all that but we made the choice...it's gotta go.

 

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