[Ursego]

Hi all,
I just bought SONY Walkman NW-ZX507 and have some questions regarding Native DSD. I didn't find the answers in the huge topic NEW SONY NW-ZX500.

1. The Sony site says: "Supreme quality with 11.2MHz DSD native". Pay attention - "with", not "up to". So, is only DSD256 Native supported (but not DSD64 and DSD128)? For example, the description of another player (Cayin N5) says "DSD Native Output DSD64/128", i.e. it explicitly lists all the formats, but the Sony's description doesn't say "DSD64/128/256".
2. The Sony site says: "DSD Native Playback requires a balanced connection" (click on the small digit "2" near "11.2 MHz DSD Native/PCM 384 kHz"). So, DSD Native is sent only to the 4.4 balanced output. My question is: can I connect a 3.5 not-balanced cord to the balanced output (through a 3.5-4.4 connector) to enjoy DSD Native, or I need to buy headphones with a balanced cord?
3. Many DSD albums in my collection are ISO files (SACD images), but NW-ZX507 doesn't "see" them. Is there any solution which doesn't require conversion of ISO files to dsf prior to uploading them to the player?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[MrWalkman]

Hi all,
I just bought SONY Walkman NW-ZX507 and have some questions regarding Native DSD. I didn't find the answers in the huge topic NEW SONY NW-ZX500.

1. The Sony site says: "Supreme quality with 11.2MHz DSD native". Pay attention - "with", not "up to". So, is only DSD256 Native supported (but not DSD64 and DSD128)? For example, the description of another player (Cayin N5) says "DSD Native Output DSD64/128", i.e. it explicitly lists all the formats, but the Sony's description doesn't say "DSD64/128/256".
2. The Sony site says: "DSD Native Playback requires a balanced connection" (click on the small digit "2" near "11.2 MHz DSD Native/PCM 384 kHz"). So, DSD Native is sent only to the 4.4 balanced output. My question is: can I connect a 3.5 not-balanced cord to the balanced output (through a 3.5-4.4 connector) to enjoy DSD Native, or I need to buy headphones with a balanced cord?
3. Many DSD albums in my collection are ISO files (SACD images), but NW-ZX507 doesn't "see" them. Is there any solution which doesn't require conversion of ISO files to dsf prior to uploading them to the player?

Thanks in advance!!!

1. DSD64 and DSD128 are working as well (DSD256 is the 11.2Mhz one)

2. Unfortunately you need to buy headphones with a 4.4 balanced connector. On the Sony WM1A/WM1Z with the stock firmware, Native DSD is also limited to the balanced port. Installing a custom firmware, however, enables the possibility of playing Native DSD via the 3.5 connector (with the stock firmware, DSD is being converted to PCM when played via the 3.5 connector). Why did Sony limit this only to the 4.4 balanced connector, when 3.5 can actually do the same? In 2016 when WM1A/WM1Z were released, they maybe tried to make people use the new 4.4 balanced connector more, but they did it again in 2019, with the ZX507, so no idea...

3. There is a player, Poweramp, which I think can play from DSD ISO images, but it may not sound the same as playing them in the Walkman player app. This software worked very well for me when I wanted to extract DSD files from ISO images.

 

[Ursego]

1. DSD64 and DSD128 are working as well (DSD256 is the 11.2Mhz one)

The question is: are 64 & 128 working as Native, or with conversion to PCM?

2. Unfortunately you need to buy headphones with a 4.4 balanced connector.

Thanks!

3. There is a player, Poweramp, which I think can play from DSD ISO images, but it may not sound the same as playing them in the Walkman player app.

I use Poweramp on my smartphone (Samsung Note), it doesn't see ISO. Also, I read that any music app, downloaded to 507 from Play Store, downsamples to 16/48, so I don't think those apps output DSD Native.

This software worked very well for me when I wanted to extract DSD files from ISO images.

Thanks, great advice!

 

[MrWalkman]

The question is: are 64 & 128 working as Native, or with conversion to PSM?

Yes, all Native DSD, through the 4.4 port.

 

[Ursego]

Unfortunately you need to buy headphones with a 4.4 balanced connector.

How can the player know if it's a real balance cord, or a non-balance cord, connected through a 3.5-4.4 connector? I think, DSD Native should be just sent to the 4.4 port with no worrying what happens with he signal outside the device (but I could be wrong, I am not a specialist).

Installing a custom firmware, however, enables the possibility of playing Native DSD via the 3.5 connector

Can you give the name of that soft (and the link) please?

 

[MrWalkman]

How can the player know if it's a real balance cord, or a non-balance cord, connected through a 3.5-4.4 connector? I think, DSD Native should be just sent to the 4.4 port with no worrying what happens with he signal outside the device (but I could be wrong, I am not a specialist).

It can't, but you risk damaging the amp section of the player by using some 4.4 balanced to 3.5 single-ended adapter.

Can you give the name of that soft (and the link) please?

Sure, you can find it here, for more than just the WM1A/WM1Z. It's not available for Android players though (like the ZX507/A105).