Introduction
According to Sony, the SRS-HG1 is the world's smallest High-Resolution Audio portable wireless speaker. Available in 5 trendy colours, my review sample was finished in a very striking Lime Yellow colour.
Description
The SRS-HG1 measures 204x62x60 mm and weighs 790g. The driver complement consists of dual 35 mm full range drivers and a single passive radiator. Sony's S-Master HX Digital amp pumps out 12 watts of power. The DSEEHX Digital Sound Enhancement Engine processes lossy music files to address the quality lost during compression.
The SRS-HG1 can be connected via Bluetooth (Version 4.2 is supported with compatibility with the following protocols, A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and SPP) or via USB. The onboard DAC supports bit depth of up to 24 bits and sampling rates up to 192 kHz.
You can also stream music via wifi (this speaker is DLNA compliant), or hook up a legacy device via the stereo mini-jack on the rear panel.
Delving deep into the manual shows that the SRS-HG1 has a formidable feature set. A wireless multi-room setup can be created to stream different music to multiple SRS-HG1 speakers in different rooms. You can also pair a set of these speakers to create dedicated stereo pairs. With selected Sony Home Theater systems that support a wireless surround function, the SRS-HG1 can function as wireless surround speakers - messy wires begone !
Google Cast and Spotify connect are also supported.
The top panel of the SRS-HG1 has a row of LED indicators on the left, and a row of control buttons on the right. Two separate USB ports are provided on the rear panel, one for charging the unit (you get 12 hours on a full charge), and the other for hooking up your computer.
Sound Quality
I listened to the SRS-HG1 via both Bluetooth and its USB port with a variety of music (both CD quality and High-Resolution audio).
The SRS-HG1 has a very clear, detailed and spacious sound. This helps reproduce the ambience of the recording venue and giving a nice lift to string instruments and cymbals. Midrange has a crystal-like quality too and female vocals are reproduced very cleanly. Separation is also good, with a clear distinction between the various instruments in a recording mix.
Bass is tight and well-defined, but does not go deep nor loud. Unfortunately the laws of physics cannot be defied and the SRS-HG1 is held back in this respect by the smaller drivers used and the small cabinet volume. Hitting the "Extra-Bass" button results in either muddy, bloated bass, or distortion - best to leave that button alone.
Generally, the SRS-HG1 prefers to be used at safer volumes. If you like bass-heavy music or listen very loud, better to have a look at one of Sony's larger models.
Removing the speaker grill (a small switch below the unit gracefully ejects the grill) reveals drivers that fire straight ahead. I found that the drivers do not have a wide dispersion pattern, and sound a lot better when listened to on the same vertical axis, or not more than 20-30 degrees off-axis. Best to tilt these speakers upwards if required.
The diminutive size of these speakers also means that your left and right channel drivers are quite close together, which limits soundstage width. Now, imagine using two of these speakers in paired stereo mode !
Conclusion
The SRS-HG1 are incredibly well equipped speakers, with an impressive feature and specification set. Although a bit pricey, these speakers are well made and sounds very clear and detailed. The limited bass and volume capabilities will exclude certain potential customers though.
Sony SRS-HG1
Recommended Consumer Price - S$ 359
Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sony. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Sony PS-HX500 turntable to hit our shores next month
Anyone notice Sony's PS-HX500 turntable launched at CES 2016 ? The good news is that the PS-HX500 is expected to hit our shores next month.
Pricing is to be confirmed.
Pricing is to be confirmed.
Here is Sony's official press release and pictures. It's really great that major companies are back into the vinyl market.
PRESS RELEASE
(SINGAPORE, 6 June 2016)
As the global resurgence in vinyl continues, Sony has announced a new premium turntable that enables vinyl owners to enjoy their favourite tracks in outstanding quality, even when on the move. In a world first, the Sony PS-HX500 allows you to convert your vinyl collection into High-Resolution Audio quality digital files (equivalent to DSD quality) so that you can enjoy their unique sound wherever you may be.
High quality sound detail
Made for music lovers, every area of the PS-HX500 is designed to deliver the best possible sound quality and treat your vinyl with the respect it deserves. From a newly developed tone arm to the die-cast platter and the plinth itself; every component has been carefully considered to deliver a great musical performance.
The straight tone arm, designed with the stylus tip located in the central axis of the arm, ensures excellent stereo balance. The arm also features an integrated round head shell that minimises resonance, for pure sound reproduction. An anti-skating device is incorporated into the arm assembly, along with an arm cueing system. A moving magnet cartridge is supplied with tracking force and balance easily adjustable.
The PS-HX500 has an aluminium die-cast platter and is belt driven by a two speed motor. A high density 30mm acoustic plinth is featured, along with a newly designed, 5mm rubber mat and four insulator feet. A classical approach to turntable design, from years of past experience has produced a model which can satisfy the music enthusiast.
Vinyl becomes portable
Record enthusiasts can sometimes be faced with the prospect of inferior digital files of their analogue records for listening on the move. The PS-HX500 comes with a high quality DSD native converter, which gives the user the option to copy their favourite analogue tracks to a PC as a digital file, up to High-Resolution Audio quality. This allows the user to take their favourite music from their vinyl collection and play it on a compatible PC, mobile, portable music-player, or even in their car. The record player also comes with an integrated phono preamp, allowing direct connection to an external amplifier for high-fidelity home audio playback.
The PS-HX500 is the world’s first turntable to support Double-rate and Single-rate DSD (5.6MHz/1bit, 2.8MHz/1bit), a powerful audio format that will reproduce your music with both accuracy and natural musicality. Furthermore, the AD conversion process can offer a choice of file quality from WAV, to High-Resolution Audio with higher bit rate and sampling frequencies, through to double-rate DSD. Users can therefore not only enjoy their records wherever they go but also appreciate them in superior sound quality.
Easy recording and editing software
Using the PS-HX500 PC application software, a vinyl can easily be converted to High-Resolution Audio files on the user’s PC and edited in post-production. The compatible software app is simply downloaded and after connecting the computer to the turntable, the recording process is quite simple. Tracks can later be edited, titled, cut, or combined together, allowing users to be truly creative with their music. The PS-HX500 will be available at all Sony Stores, Sony Centres and selected Sony authorised dealers from July 2016.
(All pictures are courtesy of Sony Singapore)
by a two speed motor. A
high density 30mm acoustic plinth is featured, along wi
th a newly designed, 5mm rubber mat
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Sony TA-A1ES Integrated Amplifier
Introduction
The Sony TA-A1ES (I will refer to this as the "A1ES") integrated amplifier arrived at my doorstep together with the HAP-Z1ES. There has not been much news or reviews of the A1ES which in my opinion, is a great pity - this is really something quite special.
A trickle of products in recent years suggests that Sony is quite serious about re-entering the high end audio arena, and judging from the quality of products I've evaluated (the A1ES included), they are certainly on-track.
Description
The A1ES is a compact unit, measuring 430 mm x 130 mm x 420 mm (W x H x D). The dimensions are quite deceptive, and lifting it out of the box required a fair amount of effort - I found out later that the unit weighs 17 kg.
This is a wide bandwith design (10 Hz to 100 KHz), with 60 watts per channel on tap. Some noteworthy design features include a discrete component preamp circuit, a smart bias system, and a separate headamp circuit also utilising discrete components. To maintain sonic purity, the A1ES utilises a single pair of transistors per channel. I was reminded of a very interesting conversation I had with another leading manufacturer that believed strongly in the merits of this approach versus multiple transistors in parallel.
The smart bias system varies bias according to volume position in order to reduce excessive heat while maintaining transistor linearity. Conventional class A operation amplifiers are highly inefficient, with high power consumption and heat when idle. Varying the bias across the output devices is not a new idea, with various approaches in the past, e.g. varying bias with the signal level and/or output current, or having multiple bias steps. These approaches have the advantage of reducing bias at low signal / load levels, which reduces heat levels considerably. I found the Sony to run quite hot - you wonder how much hotter it would run without any form of bias management !
A knob next to the headphone jack selects the impedance range of the headphone used. The low impedance headphone setting selects low gain, and correspondingly, medium and high gain for the mid and high impedance settings. This helps address the problem of high levels of noise, and excessively "hot" volume control for low impedance headphones / IEMs, and insufficiently volume into high impedance headphones. The headamp circuit puts out a very healthy 500 mw per channel, into 8 ohm or 150 ohm loads, and 250 mw into 300 ohm loads. This should allow it to drive most headphones on the market, except some very unfriendly loads like some of the magnetic planar headphone models out there.
A speaker impedance setting on the rear panel toggles between two positions, 4 ohms and 8 ohms. The manual does not explain why this is required, but a wild guess is that it alters the smart bias curve based on a rudimentary estimation of current draw.
Feature wise, five line level inputs are provided, one of which are balanced. An auto standby switch allows the amplifier to switch off when no signal is sensed for a while. The unit comes with a remote control. The over-sized speaker binding posts had the most smooth operation I've come across regardless of price.
Sound
Paired with my Monitor Audio GX100 speakers, the A1ES struck me as having a supremely confident and effortless sound. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of grip and control the Sony had over the speakers. This turned out to be the forte of the Sony - it had a punchy and fast bottom end that is really quite uncommon for a product in it's price range.
The midrange had a slightly laidback quality, with a subtle sweetness. Female vocals were reproduced with a silky tone that was natural and free from grain. I found the A1ES to be very easy on the ear over long listening sessions - perfect for unwinding but maybe not if you like a more forward and incisive tone.
High frequencies were clean and detailed, with a good "sparkle" and sense of air. I found the balance to be just right, with good behaviour and "bite" when required. One point worth noting is that both high and low frequencies would best be described as slightly dry - make sure this is paired with sympathetic equipment.
I also found the A1ES to be highly resolving, with very good detail retrieval and precise imaging and staging. Image sizes were on the smaller side though, and flatter in perspective compared to my reference equipment (my Gryphon Diablo - let's not forget that the Diablo's price tag is many times a multiple of the Sony)
I tried hooking up a pair Thiel CS 2.7 speakers next (with the speaker switch set to 4 ohms) - results were quite good, but somehow the Thiels did not sound as effortless and spacious as the Monitor Audios. Possibly, the Sony should be paired with easier loads.
I also took the headamp stage for a spin - very nice indeed. I am sure it would be good enough to replace a mid-range headphone amp. Much of my observations above apply to the headamp stage when paired with my Beyer DT880 headphones (250 ohm version).
Conclusion
The drawbacks noted above are very minor in the context of the price level of the Sony. In fact, I found the A1ES to be way off the charts in the value-for-money stakes. Audiophiles exasperated at the ever rising cost of equipment really should look at the A1ES.
It keeps your system as simple as possible and delivers a glimpse into high-end performance, at a cheerful price that puts this within the reach of most audiophiles. For the money, it really doesn't get any better than this !
Highly Recommended and Best Buy
A big thanks goes to Sony Singapore for supplying the review set, and it's media partner Waggener Edstrom for making all necessary arrangements.
Recommended Consumer Price - S$ 2,499.
The Sony TA-A1ES (I will refer to this as the "A1ES") integrated amplifier arrived at my doorstep together with the HAP-Z1ES. There has not been much news or reviews of the A1ES which in my opinion, is a great pity - this is really something quite special.
A trickle of products in recent years suggests that Sony is quite serious about re-entering the high end audio arena, and judging from the quality of products I've evaluated (the A1ES included), they are certainly on-track.
Description
The A1ES is a compact unit, measuring 430 mm x 130 mm x 420 mm (W x H x D). The dimensions are quite deceptive, and lifting it out of the box required a fair amount of effort - I found out later that the unit weighs 17 kg.
This is a wide bandwith design (10 Hz to 100 KHz), with 60 watts per channel on tap. Some noteworthy design features include a discrete component preamp circuit, a smart bias system, and a separate headamp circuit also utilising discrete components. To maintain sonic purity, the A1ES utilises a single pair of transistors per channel. I was reminded of a very interesting conversation I had with another leading manufacturer that believed strongly in the merits of this approach versus multiple transistors in parallel.
The smart bias system varies bias according to volume position in order to reduce excessive heat while maintaining transistor linearity. Conventional class A operation amplifiers are highly inefficient, with high power consumption and heat when idle. Varying the bias across the output devices is not a new idea, with various approaches in the past, e.g. varying bias with the signal level and/or output current, or having multiple bias steps. These approaches have the advantage of reducing bias at low signal / load levels, which reduces heat levels considerably. I found the Sony to run quite hot - you wonder how much hotter it would run without any form of bias management !
A knob next to the headphone jack selects the impedance range of the headphone used. The low impedance headphone setting selects low gain, and correspondingly, medium and high gain for the mid and high impedance settings. This helps address the problem of high levels of noise, and excessively "hot" volume control for low impedance headphones / IEMs, and insufficiently volume into high impedance headphones. The headamp circuit puts out a very healthy 500 mw per channel, into 8 ohm or 150 ohm loads, and 250 mw into 300 ohm loads. This should allow it to drive most headphones on the market, except some very unfriendly loads like some of the magnetic planar headphone models out there.
A speaker impedance setting on the rear panel toggles between two positions, 4 ohms and 8 ohms. The manual does not explain why this is required, but a wild guess is that it alters the smart bias curve based on a rudimentary estimation of current draw.
Feature wise, five line level inputs are provided, one of which are balanced. An auto standby switch allows the amplifier to switch off when no signal is sensed for a while. The unit comes with a remote control. The over-sized speaker binding posts had the most smooth operation I've come across regardless of price.
Sound
Paired with my Monitor Audio GX100 speakers, the A1ES struck me as having a supremely confident and effortless sound. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of grip and control the Sony had over the speakers. This turned out to be the forte of the Sony - it had a punchy and fast bottom end that is really quite uncommon for a product in it's price range.
The midrange had a slightly laidback quality, with a subtle sweetness. Female vocals were reproduced with a silky tone that was natural and free from grain. I found the A1ES to be very easy on the ear over long listening sessions - perfect for unwinding but maybe not if you like a more forward and incisive tone.
High frequencies were clean and detailed, with a good "sparkle" and sense of air. I found the balance to be just right, with good behaviour and "bite" when required. One point worth noting is that both high and low frequencies would best be described as slightly dry - make sure this is paired with sympathetic equipment.
I also found the A1ES to be highly resolving, with very good detail retrieval and precise imaging and staging. Image sizes were on the smaller side though, and flatter in perspective compared to my reference equipment (my Gryphon Diablo - let's not forget that the Diablo's price tag is many times a multiple of the Sony)
I tried hooking up a pair Thiel CS 2.7 speakers next (with the speaker switch set to 4 ohms) - results were quite good, but somehow the Thiels did not sound as effortless and spacious as the Monitor Audios. Possibly, the Sony should be paired with easier loads.
I also took the headamp stage for a spin - very nice indeed. I am sure it would be good enough to replace a mid-range headphone amp. Much of my observations above apply to the headamp stage when paired with my Beyer DT880 headphones (250 ohm version).
Conclusion
The drawbacks noted above are very minor in the context of the price level of the Sony. In fact, I found the A1ES to be way off the charts in the value-for-money stakes. Audiophiles exasperated at the ever rising cost of equipment really should look at the A1ES.
It keeps your system as simple as possible and delivers a glimpse into high-end performance, at a cheerful price that puts this within the reach of most audiophiles. For the money, it really doesn't get any better than this !
Highly Recommended and Best Buy
A big thanks goes to Sony Singapore for supplying the review set, and it's media partner Waggener Edstrom for making all necessary arrangements.
Recommended Consumer Price - S$ 2,499.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Sony HAP-Z1ES
Introduction
It's finally here ! After what seemed like an eternity, the HAP-Z1ES finally made it to Singapore, with a product debut at ISSE 2015. It seemed like an incredible tease - a fantastic product launched in major markets, but not here. In a twist of irony, the product was being happily made just across the border in Malaysia - so close yet so far. Well, better late than never.
The HAP-Z1ES is Sony's top-range high-res audio player. It is a self-contained solution with on-board storage and DAC. Contrast this with dedicated streamers like the Auralic Aries (no DAC and no on-board storage), Aurender (no DAC, and a choice of models with both board storage and without), and Lumin (with DAC, but no on-board storage).
Description
The HAP-Z1ES is a really beautiful unit in the flesh. My review unit came finished in silver and felt substantial and well put together. A series of front panel buttons and a solitary knob control most playback functions and navigation.
A 1 TB internal hard drive should be adequate for the average user, although this seems a bit miserly compared to the competition. If you have a large collection of DSD files or high-res, the 1 TB seems barely enough. Thankfully, you can hook up an additional hard drive via the rear USB port.
File compatibility is excellent, with support for all major file formats, including WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, ALAC, and DSD (both 2.8224 MHz and 5.6844 MHz sampling rate). PCM sampling rates up to 192 kHz are possible, with support for 16 bit, 24 bit and 32 bit resolution (32 bit resolution is available only for WAV files). Lossy formats such as MP3, ATRAC and AAC are also supported.
Some of the more interesting features of the Sony include a DSD re-mastering engine (on-the-fly PCM to DSD conversion), and two choices of oversampling filters (precision and normal).
Network connection can be made via wired LAN (Gigabit Ethernet) or wireless (802.11b/g/n)
Analog outputs take the form of one pair of RCA and XLR sockets. The XLR sockets follow the industry standard of having pin 2 as "hot".
The HAP-Z1ES does not offer any digital inputs or outputs. You can safely abandon any thoughts of using the Sony as a DAC, or using the Sony as a computer transport with an existing DAC !
Operation
I hooked up the Sony to my home network using a wired connection to my router. Boot-up was fast, and within five minutes (including the time taken to hook up my interconnects and power cord to the unit), I was ready to transfer a sample music library.
Music can be loaded onto the Sony in a few ways. The simplest would be to connect an external CD drive to the rear USB port. The Sony can rip your CD and perform tagging using Gracenote. If you hook up the Sony to your home network, you can install and use the HAP Music Transfer application available from Sony (both a Windows and Mac version are available) on your desktop. Alternatively, you could just access the Sony's internal drive by pointing your computer to the Sony's IP address. The last method is probably the easiest - just drag and drop.
Some time is taken after any file transfer to scan the drive and build up the database. If your music library is already meticulously tagged, you can speed up this process substantially by disabling Gracenote access.
One thing worth noting is that the Sony cannot play files directly from a NAS (unlike the Aurender N10 I reviewed earlier) - you need to copy the files over first.
Although the HAP-Z1ES can be operated from it's front panel, like most media players, it really should be used with Sony's control app, HDD Audio Remote. The control app was really very easy to use and proved to be perfectly stable over the course of time I used it.
The Sony also supports internet radio via tunein, and has a rather strange feature to categorise your music to suit various moods (Senseme). Music can be categorised automatically, or manually tagged (just in case your favourite thrash metal album is categorised under "Relax").
Sound Quality
The Sony would be best described as a confident sounding machine, with a highly detailed and precise placement of instruments and voices in the soundstage. It had a degree of confidence that seemed unflappable regardless of the genre of music thrown at it, or the complexity of the mix.
Resolving power was outstanding, with very subtle spatial clues, the complex timbre of instruments and vocals reproduced with ease. If you love details, you certainly are going to enjoy the Sony.
From a tonal perspective, the Sony had a slightly cool and analytical presentation. Playing PCM files and with the oversampling filter set to "normal", the high-frequencies of the Sony were a little bit soft - with some lack of extension and a smoothing-over of details. Thankfully, this was easily addressed by either activating the DSD remastering engine, or switching the oversampling filter to "precision". I used the Sony throughout most of the review period on the "precision" mode and without the DSD remastering engine.
Spatially, the Sony rendered very precise images, albeit with a more 2D presentation. This remark was made comparing the Sony with my usual setup of the Melco N1A NAS, Auralic Aries streamer and Totaldac D1-Dual DAC. The Sony cost a fraction of that, so my criticism should be taken in it's proper perspective.
The Sony also had a rather light touch on bass lines. It lacked a bit of slam and density compared to the competition. While tightness and articulation were good, the Sony's lack of bass weight would need careful matching.
From a value perspective, I would be hard-pressed to outperform the Sony for it's asking price. In fact, I would confidently say that the Sony punches well above it's weight, and delivers great bang for your precious dollars.
A simple 2 bay NAS, a basic streamer / DAC combo (e.g. the Lumin D1 which I reviewed here) would cost the same as the Sony. Although I no longer have my Mac Mini rig for comparison, I felt that the Sony far outperformed my Mac Mini paired with my Calyx 24/192 DAC (which cost a lot more once you added in an external hard drive, the cost of software, and a USB cable). This makes the Sony an easy to recommend device for the audiophile that is just dipping his toes in computer audio and needs an all-in-one solution. However, this is also the Sony's weak point - it is unsuitable for audiophiles that already have a large investments in an outboard DAC, or have multiple digital sources.
Conclusion
The Sony is a modestly priced all-in-one streaming solution that is an outstanding bargain at it's asking price. It is easy to setup and use, and offers very good performance for the money.
Highly Recommended.
The review sample was kindly supplied by Sony Singapore through it's media partner, Waggener Edstrom.
Recommended Consumer Price - S$ 2,499
It's finally here ! After what seemed like an eternity, the HAP-Z1ES finally made it to Singapore, with a product debut at ISSE 2015. It seemed like an incredible tease - a fantastic product launched in major markets, but not here. In a twist of irony, the product was being happily made just across the border in Malaysia - so close yet so far. Well, better late than never.
The HAP-Z1ES is Sony's top-range high-res audio player. It is a self-contained solution with on-board storage and DAC. Contrast this with dedicated streamers like the Auralic Aries (no DAC and no on-board storage), Aurender (no DAC, and a choice of models with both board storage and without), and Lumin (with DAC, but no on-board storage).
Description
The HAP-Z1ES is a really beautiful unit in the flesh. My review unit came finished in silver and felt substantial and well put together. A series of front panel buttons and a solitary knob control most playback functions and navigation.
A 1 TB internal hard drive should be adequate for the average user, although this seems a bit miserly compared to the competition. If you have a large collection of DSD files or high-res, the 1 TB seems barely enough. Thankfully, you can hook up an additional hard drive via the rear USB port.
File compatibility is excellent, with support for all major file formats, including WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, ALAC, and DSD (both 2.8224 MHz and 5.6844 MHz sampling rate). PCM sampling rates up to 192 kHz are possible, with support for 16 bit, 24 bit and 32 bit resolution (32 bit resolution is available only for WAV files). Lossy formats such as MP3, ATRAC and AAC are also supported.
Some of the more interesting features of the Sony include a DSD re-mastering engine (on-the-fly PCM to DSD conversion), and two choices of oversampling filters (precision and normal).
Network connection can be made via wired LAN (Gigabit Ethernet) or wireless (802.11b/g/n)
Analog outputs take the form of one pair of RCA and XLR sockets. The XLR sockets follow the industry standard of having pin 2 as "hot".
The HAP-Z1ES does not offer any digital inputs or outputs. You can safely abandon any thoughts of using the Sony as a DAC, or using the Sony as a computer transport with an existing DAC !
Operation
I hooked up the Sony to my home network using a wired connection to my router. Boot-up was fast, and within five minutes (including the time taken to hook up my interconnects and power cord to the unit), I was ready to transfer a sample music library.
Music can be loaded onto the Sony in a few ways. The simplest would be to connect an external CD drive to the rear USB port. The Sony can rip your CD and perform tagging using Gracenote. If you hook up the Sony to your home network, you can install and use the HAP Music Transfer application available from Sony (both a Windows and Mac version are available) on your desktop. Alternatively, you could just access the Sony's internal drive by pointing your computer to the Sony's IP address. The last method is probably the easiest - just drag and drop.
Some time is taken after any file transfer to scan the drive and build up the database. If your music library is already meticulously tagged, you can speed up this process substantially by disabling Gracenote access.
One thing worth noting is that the Sony cannot play files directly from a NAS (unlike the Aurender N10 I reviewed earlier) - you need to copy the files over first.
Although the HAP-Z1ES can be operated from it's front panel, like most media players, it really should be used with Sony's control app, HDD Audio Remote. The control app was really very easy to use and proved to be perfectly stable over the course of time I used it.
Sound Quality
The Sony would be best described as a confident sounding machine, with a highly detailed and precise placement of instruments and voices in the soundstage. It had a degree of confidence that seemed unflappable regardless of the genre of music thrown at it, or the complexity of the mix.
Resolving power was outstanding, with very subtle spatial clues, the complex timbre of instruments and vocals reproduced with ease. If you love details, you certainly are going to enjoy the Sony.
From a tonal perspective, the Sony had a slightly cool and analytical presentation. Playing PCM files and with the oversampling filter set to "normal", the high-frequencies of the Sony were a little bit soft - with some lack of extension and a smoothing-over of details. Thankfully, this was easily addressed by either activating the DSD remastering engine, or switching the oversampling filter to "precision". I used the Sony throughout most of the review period on the "precision" mode and without the DSD remastering engine.
Spatially, the Sony rendered very precise images, albeit with a more 2D presentation. This remark was made comparing the Sony with my usual setup of the Melco N1A NAS, Auralic Aries streamer and Totaldac D1-Dual DAC. The Sony cost a fraction of that, so my criticism should be taken in it's proper perspective.
The Sony also had a rather light touch on bass lines. It lacked a bit of slam and density compared to the competition. While tightness and articulation were good, the Sony's lack of bass weight would need careful matching.
From a value perspective, I would be hard-pressed to outperform the Sony for it's asking price. In fact, I would confidently say that the Sony punches well above it's weight, and delivers great bang for your precious dollars.
A simple 2 bay NAS, a basic streamer / DAC combo (e.g. the Lumin D1 which I reviewed here) would cost the same as the Sony. Although I no longer have my Mac Mini rig for comparison, I felt that the Sony far outperformed my Mac Mini paired with my Calyx 24/192 DAC (which cost a lot more once you added in an external hard drive, the cost of software, and a USB cable). This makes the Sony an easy to recommend device for the audiophile that is just dipping his toes in computer audio and needs an all-in-one solution. However, this is also the Sony's weak point - it is unsuitable for audiophiles that already have a large investments in an outboard DAC, or have multiple digital sources.
Conclusion
The Sony is a modestly priced all-in-one streaming solution that is an outstanding bargain at it's asking price. It is easy to setup and use, and offers very good performance for the money.
Highly Recommended.
The review sample was kindly supplied by Sony Singapore through it's media partner, Waggener Edstrom.
Recommended Consumer Price - S$ 2,499
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Sony CAS-1 High Resolution Audio System
News Release
(SINGAPORE, 27 October 2015) – Sony introduces the CAS-1, a compact audio system that aims to deliver the ultimate sound quality. It features dual-amplifiers that are tailored towards the distinct amplification requirements of speakers and headphones, thus providing the ideal sound performance regardless of output system. Thanks to Sony audio technologies, every subtle note fills your environment with rich detail and striking clarity, even at low volumes, whilst allowing you to experience immersive High-Resolution Audio. Advanced connectivity features allow you to stream high quality audio from your own device via Bluetooth® and NFC™ wirelessly, as well as via USB.
Designed for performance
The design for CAS-1 is inherited from Sony’s line of high-end ES series, and is focused on creating an ideal acoustic field on your desktop. The system is made up of three components – a main unit and two separate speakers to enhance sound. Delivering your music collection in beyond CD quality, the system supports Hi-Res Audio in both DSD[1] and PCM formats, including FLAC, WAV or AIFF files of up to 24bit/192kHz quality. The unique Sony DSEE HX™ technology is used to upscale compressed audio files, such as MP3, to near Hi-Res Audio quality, thus bringing back a rich and full-bodied sound.
The CAS-1 features two independent dedicated amplifiers, each of which is tailored towards the specific requirements of speakers or headphones. The integration of Sony’s S-Master HX™ Hi-Res Audio amplifier for the speakers further enhances music by reducing distortion and noise. Pulse Height volume will not sacrifice any data to control volume resulting in a crystal clear, crisp sound at any volume level. The headphone amplifier which is featured in other award-winning Hi-Res Audio models, including Sony’s high performance DAC from PHA-2 contributes to realize hi-res audio quality with headphones. These components allow the CAS-1 to produce a balanced, powerful and precise sound.
Tailor your sound experience
Enjoy your music the way you want to with the choice of audio output. You will be amazed if you choose to enjoy your favourite tunes with the two supplied speakers. Featuring a Hi-Res Audio compatible 14mm soft dome tweeter as well as a highly-rigid 62mm woofer that is supported by a bass reflex port, each speaker beautifully recreates a wide range of frequencies while suppressing noise and distortion – even when listening at close range. The brass spikes and speaker bases included allow you to add final touches to your ideal near-field Hi-Res Audio listening adventure. The model was also designed to allow the highest quality of listening experience with headphones.
Connection options are aplenty. Wirelessly connect your smartphone via Sony’s SongPal™ app[2] to the CAS-1 and stream your music with detail and clarity using LDAC™[3], which is supported by Bluetooth®. Two USB (USB-A and USB-B) ports are also available for playback of Hi-Res Audio formats.
The CAS-1 compact audio system will be available at all Sony Stores, Sony Centres and selected Sony authorised dealers from November 2015 onwards, at a recommended retail price of S$1,399.
[1] DSD 2.8MHz (converted into PCM)
[3] Technology that supports information transmission that is three times higher than conventional Bluetooth®, achieving wireless high quality audio transmissions.
###
Specification Sheet
CAS-1
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Description
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Compact audio system
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Colour
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Main unit: Black
Speaker: Brown Wood Grain
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Dimensions (WxHxD)
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Main Unit: 55x178x120 mm
Speaker: 95x178x172 mm
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Weight
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Main Unit: 1.3kg
Speaker: 1.5kg
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Connectivity
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Supports Bluetooth® (SBC, AAC, LDAC) and NFC™
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File compatibility
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USB A – DSD, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, MP3, AAC, WMA
USB B – DSD, PCM
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Port type
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USB A (front)
USB B (rear)
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Headphone output
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Stereo mini-jack
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Accessories
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Remote control, batteries, AC power adapter, AC power cord, two speaker cables, USB cable, stand, speaker base and spike
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Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Sony Launches External SSD Drives
News Release
(Singapore, 2 June 2015) - Sony is proud to introduce the first external solid-state drive (SSD) that is made for consumer use. This stylish, ultra-compact and ultra-high speed SSD is as small as a credit card, weighs at just 35g, and is only 9.4mm thick, allowing you to bring your data and files along with you wherever you go.
Featuring a stylish and durable metal body with anti-scratch hairline finish, the new external SSD is so aesthetically pleasing, it is bound to impress your friends and colleagues. Available in two different colours, cool silver and noble black, you’ll always want to flaunt it around, even when the device can be safely parked in your pocket.
Separately, busy people will also appreciate its lightning speed transfer rate of up to 450MB/s in reading mode, as well as USB3.0 compatibility, so you won’t have to wait long for your files to be completely transferred.
The new SSD comes with two storage capacities – 128GB and 256GB – giving you more than enough room to store and organise all your photos, videos, music, documents, and more. With added features such as Password Protection Manager, your precious files will always be safe and secure, even if the external drive falls into the wrong hands. Backup Manager, on the other hand, lets you backup data directly from your PC or laptop, saving you valuable time and making the process even easier to manage.
The SL-BG1 (128GB capacity) and SL-BG2 (256GB capacity) will be available at all Sony Stores and authorised outlets from July onwards, at a recommended retail price of S$199 and S$299, respectively.
(Singapore, 2 June 2015) - Sony is proud to introduce the first external solid-state drive (SSD) that is made for consumer use. This stylish, ultra-compact and ultra-high speed SSD is as small as a credit card, weighs at just 35g, and is only 9.4mm thick, allowing you to bring your data and files along with you wherever you go.
Featuring a stylish and durable metal body with anti-scratch hairline finish, the new external SSD is so aesthetically pleasing, it is bound to impress your friends and colleagues. Available in two different colours, cool silver and noble black, you’ll always want to flaunt it around, even when the device can be safely parked in your pocket.
Separately, busy people will also appreciate its lightning speed transfer rate of up to 450MB/s in reading mode, as well as USB3.0 compatibility, so you won’t have to wait long for your files to be completely transferred.
The new SSD comes with two storage capacities – 128GB and 256GB – giving you more than enough room to store and organise all your photos, videos, music, documents, and more. With added features such as Password Protection Manager, your precious files will always be safe and secure, even if the external drive falls into the wrong hands. Backup Manager, on the other hand, lets you backup data directly from your PC or laptop, saving you valuable time and making the process even easier to manage.
The SL-BG1 (128GB capacity) and SL-BG2 (256GB capacity) will be available at all Sony Stores and authorised outlets from July onwards, at a recommended retail price of S$199 and S$299, respectively.
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| Pictures courtesy of Sony |
Thoughts
Are you guys thinking what I am thinking ? Looks like the perfect complement to media streamers !
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Sony MDR-Z7 Headphones and PHA-3 Portable Headphone Amplifier
Sony PHA-3 Portable Headphone Amplifier
Introduction
The Sony PHA-3 is a compact battery powered DAC / headphone amplifier. Size-wise, it is the perfect partner for the NW ZX-2 walkman and provides the additional drive required for more difficult headphone loads.
Description
The palm sized PHA-3 is aluminum finished, with the volume knob and headphone jacks on one end, with inputs, line output and the power jack on the other side.
The front panel has 3 LEDs that indicate high frequency sampling rate (anything above 48 kHz), DSD operation and power / charge status.
Two rubberised strips on both the top and bottom of the unit provide the unit with a bit of extra grip to prevent the unit from sliding on flat surfaces.
Measuring 80 x 29 x 140.5 mm (WxHxD), the PHA-3 weighs a very healthy 300 g.
The PHA-3 is well specified with playback of file resolutions of up to 32 bit / 384 kHz sampling rate supported via USB connection, or 24 bit / 192 kHz via the Toslink optical jack. DSD is supported at both 2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz.
USB input is via either a micro USB port or a type A socket.
A line input is also provided to allow the PHA-3 to act as a headphone amplifier with analog signals.
The headphone amplifier is robustly specified at 100 mw per channel (32 ohm loads at 1% distortion) for normal operation, and 320 mw per channel for balanced operation.
The PHA-3 has a built-in lithium-ion battery which is charged via a micro USB jack. Battery life is specfied at 5 hours if balanced operation and the DAC is used. Using the PHA-3 as a headphone amplifier only (i.e. via the analog input) lengthens the battery life to 28 hours.
One headphone jack (3.5mm) is provided, with a second pair of jacks (3.5mm also) for balanced operation.
Two side mounted switches control gain and DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) which upscales lossy music files.
Operation
The PHA-3 is generally easy to operate. The unit is switched on via the volume knob and the power / charge indicator will flash briefly to inform the user of the battery level (3 flashes indicating full charge).
The unit charges fully in about 10 hours if charged via a computer USB port. An optional AC adapter shortens charge time to 6 hours.
By the way, Sony is not joking about the battery life. I obtained an average of about 4 hours of use from the PHA-3 using both the DAC and balanced operation. Better bring along a battery charge bank for longer journeys !
If you are using the PHA-3 for desktop use, it can be powered continuously. Sony's manual states that the PHA-3's battery is not charged unless the unit is switched off. My personal experience suggests otherwise. I discharged the battery until it was nearly empty and then hooked it up to a computer USB port. I managed to get about 50 % charge after about 10 hours. It definitely charges when switched on, albeit slowly.
Connecting the PHA-3 to various computers around the house and both iOS and Android mobile devices for PCM playback was fuss-free. For DSD playback, I could only get the PHA-3 to work reliably via the Sony provided software player. Fiddling with Foobar got me nowhere, while I managed to get a few seconds of playback via Pure Music, followed by loud bursts of static. I did not have a compatible Sony Walkman, so I am not sure whether the PHA-3 can play back DSD files directly from such devices.
In terms of drive ability, the PHA-3 had no problems with either a Beyer DT-880 (250 ohm version) or Sony MDR-Z7 (for both normal or balanced operation) to ear splitting volumes.
Sound
The PHA-3 sounded great as a DAC / headamp. Bass was authoritative and full, while high frequencies were extended and clean. Midrange tone was slightly laidback and sweet though. Resolving quality was quite good and the low level details in my usual test tracks were reproduced without any issue.
Pairing with the Beyer DT-880 proved to be a great match. The DT-880 can sound overly bright and lean with the wrong source and amplifier match. The midrange sweetness and full bass of the PHA-3 proved to be a nice counterfoil to the DT-880's fast and analytical character.
The PHA-3 performance in balanced operation was exemplary. The MDR-Z7 was the only headphone I had on hand with appropriate wiring for the PHA-3. In this case, the Z7 gained additional authority and clarity in bass lines. There was also an improvement in speed and separation, especially during busy mixes. I would even dare to suggest that the PHA-3 and Z7 were truly made for each other.
Conclusion
The PHA-3 is an interesting animal. It has a great DAC and headphone stage, but battery life is frankly underwhelming. What really sold me on the PHA-3 was balanced operation.
The review sample was kindly supplied by Sony Singapore through it's media partner, Waggener Edstrom.
Recommended Consumer Price - SGD 1,199
Sony MDR-Z7
Introduction
Readers may wish to refer to my earlier article that featured the MDR-Z7, as it provides some insights into its design (click here for the earlier article).
The kind folks at Sony had offered the Z7 together with the PHA-3 for purposes of this review, but I had already purchased the Z7 sometime back, so a review sample was not necessary.
Description
The Z7 is Sony's newest flagship headphone. Sporting massive 70 mm Aluminum-coated Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragms, the Z7 has a rated frequency response from 4 Hz to 100 kHz.
Sensitivity is rated at 102 db/mW, with an impedance of 70 ohms (at 1 kHz). These specifications suggest that the Z7 is quite easy to drive, which was borne out by listening tests.
With a weight of 335 g, the Z7 is of moderate weight, but the physical size of these cans means that the Z7 is happier at home than on the go.
Sony thoughtfully provides a 3 m silver-coated OFC cable, as well as a shorter 2 m balanced cable. Cabling attaches to the Z7 via twin locking 3.5 mm plugs.The balanced cable is terminated on the source end via twin 3.5 mm plugs too. In case you are wondering why Sony did not terminate the balanced cable in a more common way, like twin 3 pin XLR plugs, or a single 4 pin XLR plug, the answer is obvious once you look at the pictures of the PHA-3 above.
Despite the locking sleeve, any ordinary 3.5 mm plug will fit nicely into the jacks on the headphone end.
The Z7 is a closed design. Twin vents (on the top and bottom of each earcup) result in some leakage of sound, albeit only a high volumes.
In Use
Comfort and fit is first-rate. The soft leather-feel earpads are some of the most comfortable pads I have used. They do heat up very fast in tropical weather, and periodic rest is required even in air-conditioned environments.
The adjustable headband has numbered graduations internally, making it a cinch to revert back to your preferred adjustments quickly. The headband fit my smallish head well, without exerting too much pressure on either my ears, nor the legs of my eyeglasses.
Sound
I paired the Z7 with a variety of headamps and sources I had on hand, before settling for the PHA-3 and a Violectric V281 (used as both a headamp and DAC). As I did not have the right cable, I could only use the normal outputs on the V281 rather than the balanced drive outputs.
The first thing that grabs your attention is the bass. The Z7 has powerful and thumpy bass lines. The problem is that the bass frequencies overwhelm the rest of the frequency spectrum and have a slight lack of control.
The midrange has a slightly laidback and sweet presentation. High frequencies are extended but well-behaved. Subjectively, the high frequencies seem to have less prominence compared to some of my other headphones. Initially I thought the Z7 sounded a bit dark and rolled-off, but this depended on the bass content of the track in question. The Z7 sounded wonderfully open and detailed on violin solos and very much less so on pop and rock tracks.
Staging wise, the Z7 is above average with a spacious soundstage (no doubt with some assistance from the angled drivers), and very good detail retrieval.
Moving on to balanced drive, this is where the Z7 shines. With the PHA-3, the issues I had with the bass were largely addressed, with the low frequencies gaining tightness, control and explosive dynamics. Similarly, an increase in speed and incision lifted the midrange and treble to a faster and closer to neutral presentation.
Notwithstanding the above, the Z7 (especially as a flagship model) is not a neutral headphone. My ownership experience so far parallels that of the Audio Technica ATH-W5000. Some tracks will leave you incredibly frustrated, while selected tracks will leave you in sonic bliss. Thankfully, balanced drive made the ownership experience more pleasurable than otherwise.
Conclusion
The Z7 is an idiosyncratic headphone - a detailed listen should make it clear whether you like it or not. However, in order to fully exploit it's capabilities, balanced drive is mandatory.
Recommended Consumer Price - SGD 899
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