Sony HAP-Z1ES has arrived

[Hydrology]

Anyone heard anymore about this firmware update?

 

Also, I've had a problem twice now during transferring files over to the Sony (I do it in batches of no more than half a dozen at a time) where the Sony shows the countdown number of files left to "tag" but the number never goes down. Only deleting the folders that show 0 songs and 0.00 time for any found files gets the unit back on track. The first time it did it I had to delete numerous folders (which equated to about 90-ish songs) but I couldnt for the life of me find 4 files. I did a rescan (which took hours to retag the files) and nothing changed so in the end I gave up and formatted the drive (7500 songs later!!!).

The same thing happened again last night (about 3500 songs in) however i was able to delete the offending album and recopy over with no issues. Any reasoning why this may be happening? Internet connectivity was fine throughout (internet radio played fine).

Ideas?

 

 

Can anybody provide any help with the above problem. Its happened again, about 5000 songs in.

[peterlim8]

I suspect your unit has problem. System hung somewhere, like a computer.

[Toolonginexile]

Plasmatico, don't hold your breath. Sony has their own Music Unlimited streaming service, so it would be risky if they took on another's. Despite the fact that Sony does not include Music Unlimited in the HAPZ1ES!

 

If you have 19000 of your most favorite songs, this player is a winner!

 

 

Has there been any recent changes/developments on this issue? Im trying to nail down a front end source, but really want tidal functionality.....

[Hydrology]

I suspect your unit has problem. System hung somewhere, like a computer.

 

I have a feeling my tagging/metadata left a little to be desired and may have been the cause. Using XLR ripper and using AIFF as the file format, ensuring I embed the correct artwork, means Im noticing speed ups in the Sony catalogging the copied music. 4000 songs in, so far so good.

[peterlim8]

Possible!

 

I take whatever I had during ripping, never touch those tagging or metadata, so far so good!

[danghony]

Hi.

Sony going to release a new firmware that will support plugin external usb cd drive to be ripped flac straight into Z1 without a PC.

ƒ‰¹“W„ƒ\ƒj[AŠp“cˆè—YŽ‚É‚æ‚éuƒnƒCƒŒƒ]ƒZƒ~ƒi[vŠJÃ - i‰»‚·‚éuHAP-Z1ESv‚Ì–£—Í‚ðÐ‰î - Phile-web

 

Too bad it won't rip to dsd format to promote its intent as a dsd machine. Flac would be great though any ideas when?

[Hydrology]

Too bad it won't rip to dsd format to promote its intent as a dsd machine. Flac would be great though any ideas when?

 

Other Japanese sites (badly translated) seem to indicate before the year end. It certainly makes ripping more convenient, but I like being able to make a mirror drive via the computer in the event of a hard drive fail within the Sony.

[Hydrology]

New firmware update available (Revision - 16152R)

 

Seems to add all of the already discussed features, such as ripping direct off a USB-plugged external drive, and the Gracenote searching of DSD files. Also, some additions to the HAP app for mobile devices.

[gstew]

I'll be very curious if there are any sonic differences perceived from this firmware, such as has been reported from the several firmware updates on the PS Audio Directstream DAC. Since I don't know of any way to down-grade to a previous firmware on the HAPZ, I'll wait until others have reported.

 

Greg in Mississippi

 

P.S. Some of the mods I've inflicted on my HAPZ described here:

 

Sony HAP-Z1ES Hi-Res source (new 2014) ? - diyAudio

[kepstein]

After applying the firmware update, I noticed a line on my display, just below genres, that I did not have before. It is visible on all screens.

[gstew]

After applying the firmware update, I noticed a line on my display, just below genres, that I did not have before. It is visible on all screens.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22393[/ATTACH]

 

Odd. Anyone else seeing this?

 

Greg in Mississippi

[kepstein]

Sony support replied with this:

 

Dear Kenneth,

Thank you for contacting Sony Video and Sound Support.

We hope you are doing well.

We understand your concern.

In this regard we suggest you to perform a Factory Reset on the device.

Please access the below link to perform a Factory Reset on the device.

Help Guide | Resetting to the factory default (Factory Reset)

If you have any further concern, please feel free to contact us.

Thank you for being a valued Sony customer. Have a wonderful day ahead.

If you would like to be the first to know about our latest products and receive exclusive offers, please sign up for our newsletter:https://subscribe.sel.sony.com.

The Sony Email Response Team.

Warm Regards,

Pam

C925

[audio.bill]

The only problem I see with performing the Factory Reset is that you wipe out any music that you have saved on the internal drive.

[gstew]

<SNIP>

In this regard we suggest you to perform a Factory Reset on the device.

Please access the below link to perform a Factory Reset on the device.

Help Guide | Resetting to the factory default (Factory Reset)

[<SNIP>

 

Ooooo, I bet that's exactly what you'd like to do... then spend a few days getting all of your music back. Or is there a way to do a factory reset that preserves your music files (and doesn't use the also painfully slow backup & restore)?

 

One of the posters on the thread I referenced updated theirs and did not observe any display issues:

 

Sony HAP-Z1ES Hi-Res source (new 2014) ? - Page 2 - diyAudio

 

To me it looks more like an issue with the connection on the cable to the display or a physical problem with the display. IF IT WERE ME, I'd first re-seat the cable going from the main board to the display. But of course, you are on your own on that. I have mine open right now and cannot confirm that the connector on the main board is latch-less, but it looks as though it is and the service manual also suggests that. Still, if opening eq is not your thing, do find someone to do this for you.

 

Or if you have a spare 2.5" laptop HDD/SSD sitting around that you can wipe, open the unit, put that in, do a factory reset, and see if that fixes it. I seriously doubt that, but at least that way you can try it without losing your music!

 

Sorry to hear about the problem. Good luck with getting it resolved!

 

And thanks for the report.

 

Greg in Mississippi

[kepstein]

I did the reset with no success, now I'm transferring 10K tracks!

 

The only problem I see with performing the Factory Reset is that you wipe out any music that you have saved on the internal drive.

[Hydrology]

This display issue will require repair. Its a failure of the display board. It will eventually worsen and more horizontal lines will show.

[JMotzi]

I have one horizontal line for some months now. I just put up with it since it doesn't affect anything.

 

JM

[kepstein]

Will this be covered under warranty; I am less than the two years.

 

This display issue will require repair. Its a failure of the display board. It will eventually worsen and more horizontal lines will show.

[audio.bill]

Sony ES products have a five year warranty for the original purchaser from an authorized dealer, so it will be covered if you meet those criteria.

[russellbobby]

Hi all,

Trying to get a friends unit up and running. Have good wifi strength but shows 0 signal strength. Shows router. Also want to play an attached hard drive. Asks if it wants to be formatted. Always thought that meant erased. Shows unformatted. Have a 1 tb hdd attached

Thanks for the help

[gstew]

My recollection is that the HAPZ wants to reformat your external drive before it can be used. After that you can transfer files to it and reconnect it, but I believe it has a limited range of disk formats it can read.

 

And you are right, but formatting will erase it. If you don't want to lose what is already on it, you need to start with a clean drive.

 

Of course, anyone else with experience with this, if I am wrong, please correct me!

 

Greg in Mississippi

 

P.S. Sorry, I generally don't use the WiFi, I can't help you there.

[russellbobby]

Ok have the wi fi up and running. Cannot get it to play an external hard drive. Any help?

[Freddys912]

Hello, I am a new member and apologize in advance if some of my questions have already been answered in a previous post as I have scrolled though most of the 25 pages. This is my first splurge into storing and play back of digital music. My associated main equipment is a BAT VK32 pre-amp, VK60SE mono amps Wadia 582is and Mezzo Utopia speakers so I'm looking for a music sever to match my equipment and I'm pretty sold on the HAP-Z1ES thanks to all the positive feedback on this post. Here are some of my question, thanks advance for your assistance.

-Does the unit allow me to stream music from a provider like Tidal?

-I have a surround AV receiver which is approximately 25' total distance from my main system yet still in the same room, would I still need to run RCA's over to the AV receiver if I wanted to connect the HAP-Z1ES to it or its there an alternative method?

-I do have a CD burner in my MAC, should I use the one in my MAC or should I purchase an external one, also, how can I be assured that 100% of the bits are transferred to the hard drive of the MAC?

The other option I and looking at is the Bluesound Vault 2, has this been compared to the HAP-Z1ES or is this not a fair comparison?

Lastly I am looking for a simple solution, I'd rather not go separates i.e. NAS Server PC route, I realize that I still need a PC for the HAP-Z1ES but I would be fine with that.

Thanks,

Fred

[audio.bill]

russellbobby - You cannot just plug in an external hard drive with music files on it for the Z1ES to play. You would have to format the drive on the Z1ES which would wipe out any files stored on it, and then you can copy desired music files to it using the Sony music transfer software on your PC.

Freddys912 - You cannot stream services like TIDAL through the Z1ES, it does not provide that functionality. The Z1ES requires a hardwired connection to your system's inputs, either by RCA or XLR analog cables. I'm not a MAC user, but you would need to verify that whatever software you use to rip CDs to your MAC is lossless. Then you can transfer the desired music files to the Sony using its music transfer software. Alternatively you could add an external USB CD-ROM drive to the Sony and rip directly, but then you wouldn't have backup copies of the rips. Bluesound does not currently support DSD decoding which the Sony does, but they are reported to be adding DSD support in a future firmware upgrade.

[Freddys912]

russellbobby - You cannot just plug in an external hard drive with music files on it for the Z1ES to play. You would have to format the drive on the Z1ES which would wipe out any files stored on it, and then you can copy desired music files to it using the Sony music transfer software on your PC.

Freddys912 - You cannot stream services like TIDAL through the Z1ES, it does not provide that functionality. The Z1ES requires a hardwired connection to your system's inputs, either by RCA or XLR analog cables. I'm not a MAC user, but you would need to verify that whatever software you use to rip CDs to your MAC is lossless. Then you can transfer the desired music files to the Sony using its music transfer software. Alternatively you could add an external USB CD-ROM drive to the Sony and rip directly, but then you wouldn't have backup copies of the rips. Bluesound does not currently support DSD decoding which the Sony does, but they are reported to be adding DSD support in a future firmware upgrade.

 

Thanks Bill, That's great news about the Bluesound, it not supporting DSD was the primary reason I took it out of the running, with the DSD concern being addressed with a future firmware update I believe the Vault2 may be the best solution for me.

-I can rip CD's with it's integrated CD-ROM

-I can steam music via a streaming subscription.

-I can use an external DAC

-I can physically move the Vault2 (since it has a small footprint) to my AV receiver when needed. I'll just run two ethernet cables from my router, one to the rack of my main system and one to the rack of the AV receiver and just swing over the RCA's. Sound like a plan or am I missing anything?

Thanks again, I would me kinda lost without all the support from CA community.

Fred