Sony HAP-Z1ES Hi-Res Music Player RMAF 2013

The S1 and the Z1 are for different people. The S1 has a built in power amp and more features but does not have the ES tweakiness (therefore better sound via line out). The Z1 is for those audiophiles that have a serious system and already have a great amp and or preamp/amp combo. The build quality of the Z1 is much better. Two serious transformers....dual mono 32 bit DACs, better output stages, better and more regulators, parts, etc. (all just for the DAC....not sharing power with an amp). You can see pics of the inside on the internet.

Imagine a company selling a $1000 integrated amp and then also has a $2000 preamp and a $2000 power amp.....You would hope the $4000 separates would sound better. This is what Sony is offering. They have a $2000 integrated amp that is the companion to the Z1.

Since there is room in the Z1 for mods then a modded Z1 could be really seriously great. Again, a different price point and different users.

The fact that the Z1 can't access a NAS over the network but requires the Music Transfer software to keep you music files sync'ed onto its hard drive is a deal killer for me. I don't want to have music files scattered all over my network, that's why I bought a NAS with RAID and backup. In this way, the Marantz is a better solution for me.

Just wanted to share my thoughts on my newest acquisition: the Sony HAP-Z1ES music server. As many of you have said the remastering engine is why you pay 1k more than its little brother the HAP-S1/B which doesn't have the remastering option (or the larger hard drive). The build quality is at a much high level as well. I recently had all my SACDs ripped many of which I also have ripped at 16bit, 44.1 kHz and on vinyl. So I was able to compare the DSD version against the 44.1 kHz DSD remastered and the analog version. First, let me say........ vinyl is still king. Nothing beats a mechanical, analog playback system. Digital just don't sound as natural. But (and its a BIG but) the Sony HAP-Z1ES shows digital reproduction is getting very, very good! It isn't the DSD signals I am most impressed with but the DSD remastered signals!! At times I prefer the remastered version to the DSD version and other times I do not. The point is your 16 bit, 44.1 kHz ripped CDs have a new lease on life! Sony went "all-in" with this technology and it has paid-off.

Sbayne, congrats on your purchase and thanks for sharing your impressions thus far. Can you be any more specific about the differences in sound quality that you are perceiving with 16bit, 44.1 kHz files when DMS remastering is turned on versus off?

Also, what do you think of Sony's software? I am particularly interested in the initial process for transferring files from one's computer to the Sony and whether the user has any control over how the Sony organizes the transferred files for search purposes. For example, if I wanted to select classical tracks for playback based on composer name rather than album name would I be able to do that?

Ooops, I meant to type DSD remastering not DMS remastering.