Sony HAP-Z1ES Hi-Res Music Player RMAF 2013

01-26-14: Mr_bill wrote

Kal,
You should review the Sony Hap Z1ES.

I am doing so.

Kr4, in an earlier post you wrote "it's not a dac or a renderer." The DAC part of that statement confuses me a bit. When starting with digital source material (in this case, computer files no less) I thought there always had to be a DAC somewhere in the equation for sound to emerge from a loudspeaker at the other end. Is that not true?

My confusion also comes from statements on Music Direct's website that read "The Sony HAP-Z1ES is a true professional reference DAC" and "This digital to analog converter effectively reduces ..." and "This ideal D/A conversion system combines ..." Are these marketing statements inaccurate?

If you have the opportunity in your review, I am hoping you can clear up this confusion because as it is the answer to the question of whether the HAP-Z1ES does or does not contain a DAC is about as clear as mud.

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GZ3827, I think he means that the unit has an internal DAC of course, but no DAC function for external sources, like a cd player or for streaming music sources like Rhapsody or Pandora from a computer or a squeezebox.
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Mitch4t is correct. You cannot use it "just" as a DAC although it contains one.

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It's easy, just go to the Sony website and see photos of the rear of the unit yourself. No inputs.

There is no mention of it being able to function as a DAC for an external transport or other sources.
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