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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

128x128stereo5
pro_info's avatar
pro_info
6 posts
 
Yes, DSD output, on or off, nothing changes, I will take with m2tech HiFace two (the third dac...).

PS: I also contacted Sony supports in America, Japan, France, to see if they can give me a way to downgrade to version 18033R (download firmware) which seems to work better for some, but I'm not under any illusions about that. I await their answers.
pro_info's avatar
pro_info
6 posts
 
Ok, m2tech HiFace two not work...
jmvs
28 posts
 
The HAP-Z1ES firmware could be rolled-back to the previous version "press and hold the Home Button while turning the Unit on, you will see the light above the power button flash a few times and then hear a click and it will stop flashing, it will turn on the Special Mode (in the display menu), choose the 3rd option down and it will roll-back to the previous version firmware".

My set-up (HAP-Z1ES via USB into Devialet Expert 400) will not work with the current 0018120R version firmware, but works fine with the previous 0018033R version firmware.
pro_info's avatar
pro_info
6 posts
 
That's the problem, as I just bought it, the previous firmware is not the 18033R, but one that is 2 years old and does not yet support USB DAC. :)

PS : As expected the support was of no use. (Japanese support has understood my problem, which I doubt in others ^^)

I'll make one last attempt with a non XMOS DAC to see if it works, then I'll give up. Either there will be another firmware, or when I change my amp, maybe I'll hear some sound if it outputs all the streams to DSD.
pro_info's avatar
pro_info
6 posts
 
I finished my project, for those who use a DAC, that can be interesting.
Sony HAP S1/Z1ES remote control key remapping demonstration video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIhKWJwfVIU
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