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New Sony HAP-Z1ES Firmware Out Today

I installed the newest firmware today and was pleasantly surprised that the player now supports an external DAC via the USB connection. It now does DSD over USB2 and there is a provision to turn it on/off. I played a couple of different artists and the player seems to work perfectly with the iPad remote.  Here is the skinny, direct from Sony:


This firmware upgrade (version 18033R) provides the following improvements over version 17384R:

  • Adds support for the Media Server function
  • Adds support for the USB digital output function (USB hub support for connecting each of one HDD drive, one CD drive, and one USB DAC)
  • Adds support for Seek operations
  • Adds support for the Fade In/Out function
  • Adds the Go to genre/artist/album/folder function to the Options menu
  • Adds the following operations:
    • Queuing the track next to the one currently playing, and queuing the track last
    • Deleting the track from the play queue
    • Creating a playlist with the play queue
    • Deleting the playlist
    • Deleting the track from the playlist
    • Deleting the information of a disconnected external hard disk drive

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jmvs
28 posts
 
I'm having the same problem (USB Digital Output not working / Analog Output works fine) due to the 2/28/2017 Firmware Update. I opened a Trouble Ticket with Sony - Japan, I'll follow-up with them next week and post the results.  
jmvs
28 posts
 
Sony helped me rollback my firmware to the previous version, until the new firmware is revised. My HAP-Z1ES is back online and once again working like a dream.
yu8114
3 posts
 
Do you need to send your player to Sony in order to rollback to the previous version? If you don't, how do we rollback to the previous version? thanks 

davehg
85 posts
 
Downloaded and updated to the new software today. Not using a USB DAC, just balanced out to a headphone amp (Woo WA22) and using the headphone in balanced mode.

I would swear the HAPZ1ES sounds smoother, more detailed, and a tad warmer than before, and less dry or clinical. Not having a chance to A/B. I did listen to a few cuts, then updated, then listened those cuts again. Much prefer the new version.

If they don't end up supporting Tidal, hopefully Spotify will launch and Sony HAP will support Hi Rez. I'd really like to simply down to one device for all digital music needs.
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
@davehg Interesting to hear about the perceived improvement after the latest firmware.  I recently updated firmware as well, although I did not A/B the sound quality, presuming there would be only functionality updates, not sound updates.  I will say that the HAP-Z1ES seems to improve over time (burn in), although that may be psychological, right?

Anyone know for sure whether Sony's going to keep this model up to date?  Like most users, I'm eager to try higher-res streaming (preferring Spotify) if and when it becomes available.
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