Four Way Portable (Sony ZX2, iPhone 6, AK100ii, Chord Mojo) Shootout w/ Andromeda IEM

seems like

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-WALKMAN-ORIGINAL-OEM-OFFICIAL-CRADLE-BCR-NWH10-for-NW-ZX2-ZX1-A10-F880/222153016315?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=36866&meid=f3627528b02a48da957bcfc734d3276e&pid=100033&rk=5&rkt=8&sd=331883060375

one of these docks + a d/d converter would make a great home source

anyone know if you can control the nwzx2 with a bluetooth remote or something? It has nfc right?

 

Ordered a Japanese ZX2 based upon your comments Marv. Thank you very much. Only 24 hours on the caps and this b*tch is musical as f*ck. ZX2 + Andro = Wowsers. I honestly don't believe it gets better after 100 hours, but I can only hope.

 

How does iPhone 6 differ from 5S in sound quality? I'm likely to stay with my 5S for the time being. Cipher+Sine might be added in the near future though.

 

Added warmth and not as much metallic timbre. However it still is the same apple house sound lacking dynamics, headstage, imaging, thin mids etc. Apple devices do sound super clean though. Clean but not clear.....phew.

 

This thread prompted me to go to my local hifi spot to give the ZX2 an extensive listen with my K10s and Dulce Bass and compare to my AK100iis. I liked it and my assessments were similar to Marveys. I ultimately decided that I preferred the AK because of the "airiness" that Marvey mentioned. It is more or less the same reason that I ultimately chose the 100ii over the 120ii and the 240 in the first place.

 

Any idea on how to distinguish between the EU volume capped version of this and the other non-volume capped versions? I'm need about 70% of the volume to drive my Flare IEMs to normal listening levels which seems high.

Bought it in the USA though.

 

Supposedly the US version is volume capped as well.

 

Oh really. Any way to hack this? I can imagine with quiet music on an airplane I might want a little more. Or with HPs.

 

I could be full of shit. Did you turn off Sound Adjustment?

 

Yeah. No DSEE HX, surround sound, dynamic normalizer or ClearAudio +. I think that's the lot of them.

 

Did you do Settings > Apps > Sound Ajustment > Disable?

 

Oh damn, that did it! Almost blew my ears out in the process but thank you. I wonder what adjustments were going on that I hadn't disabled.

 

Hot damn, I successfully solved a problem with a product I've never even touched.

 

Telepathic tech support - sounds like a late night infomercial.

 

If only USB DAC mode

 

You're right. When I restarted the volume:volume meter ratio went back to about the same as before. Still wonder if there's a volume cap on mine because I can't imagine it driving much more than I'm using to loud enough levels.

 

Ok so I've got about 30 hours on this so far (using my Flare R2As only for now). Compared to the GO 450 (my only other decent source) the sound has less 'glare' or 'sharpness'. It's more pleasing, thicker, but doesn't noticeably lack details or treble extension. It also seems to some finesse things better - for example note decay sounds more realistic, lingers more delicately. Timbre sounds more realistic. Instrument separation doesn't seem to be as good though.

Sorry about the highly subjective descriptors.

Edit: the dynamics and energy on this are pretty remarkable. The surging strings at the beginning of this nearly made my hair stand up on the back of my neck.

 

It would be so nice. No DAP interface beats foobar on my laptop and I'm listening at my laptop about 2/3 of my listening time.