OFweek smart home network news Sony SRS-ZR7 is a rich input function of wireless network speakers, and we measured two years ago before the X9 [later upgraded to X99? ] and X88, the volume is much smaller, their appearance is consistent in the overall design, the appearance of the control area layout, operation methods, etc. are also consistent. The ZR7 also incorporates HDMI input support, and the ZR7 can also support multiple speakers to create stereo or surround sound system functions. Its official selling price is 2099 yuan, and the actual online shopping price is 1,499 yuan. Thank you for providing sample testing.
Appearance and main functions
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
The ZR7 has a 86 mm x 93 mm x 300 mm form factor. It can be seen that this is a rectangular parallelepiped box with a cross-section that is closer to a square. This is a size that is better than what we tested, the BOSE Soundlink mini, and even the Rambler M7. A lot of B&O A2, of course, ZR7's positioning is also different from them. The ZR7's exterior design continued the first X9 to bring the whole body except the back, almost flat design. A small "key" with four touch areas on the upper right side of the speaker's upper surface. Function, volume level, and slightly raised metal keys, which act as switches, are keys that Bluetooth devices need to be paired with [if NFC is not available]. This protruding small button is a key that does not press the key process, but also a touch key, just for the convenience of identification, made a special style.
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Touch Button
And in the middle of the speaker at the top, there is a hidden Led indication pattern under the surface that looks like black, and the main function is to indicate the current connection working status [because there are too many input interfaces]. Including Network, Audioin, USB-A, USB-B, Bluetooth, HDMI, and more. Led will be lit, display the corresponding words, and the colors are not the same. In the upper left corner there will be a flashing Led light that flashes before the Bluetooth pairing. At the top of the center is an NFC-enabled LOGO that is close to an NFC-enabled device. If you use the Walkman, you can quickly and preferentially rob Bluetooth pairings with the highest priority connection rights.
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
Since the ZR7's input function is mentioned, we must look at the back of it. The ZR7 provides a USB-A and a USB-B interface. The USB-A interface can support reading music content stored in Walkman or Xperia phones and playing them. It also supports external USB storage devices, and is used as a DLNA Server content server. Play. The USB-B interface, ZR7 can support USB DAC mode, and in USB mode it can support 32bit/384kHz and DSD128 decoding. The 3.5mm Audioin supports normal analog audio signal input. In terms of network functions, WiFi and Lan access are provided, and Bluetooth access is supported. The official information of the Bluetooth encoder is not clear enough, of course, support for LDAC and not support apt-X is clear, but in the end whether support for AAC, written in the form of support, but other information does not indicate support. In addition, ZR7 also supports Dolby and DTS 2-channel decoding [more than just multi-channel, unclear].
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Supports USB-A to Walkman, Mobile Devices
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Cable, HDMI, USB-DAC Function Interface
From the ZR7's back to its front, compared to the high-end two similar styles of Sony speakers, the ZR7 is rather risky without using a separate tweeter, but instead uses a pair of 45mm full frequency bands responsible for the mid-high, a pair of 65mm The unit is responsible for bass. From the exploded view, there is a specially constructed passive bowl unit on the back of the loudspeaker. Is it a speaker of Lebang State and this design?
Software and Playback Features
Sony has prepared an app called "Songpal" for its own network speakers. The iOS App Store is the latest version, but China's Android market may not have the latest version, so it is best to go to the official website to download 5.0.0 version. After installing on Android, the app's icon has become a new style, and the name is called MusicCenter. The latest version of "Songpal" Android and iOS does not differ in internal functions and styles.
As early as in the X9 speaker test we talked about this app is actually very useful. With the help of the convenient Bluetooth pairing feature, Sony uses the app guide to share the network information of the paired mobile phone to the speaker, so it is easy to let the speaker access the WiFi network. This is a very smart design. And the new firmware of å®å’š speaker wants to learn, but it is not stable.
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - "Songpal" main interface
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - "Songpal" main interface
On the main screen of "Songpal", the name of the speaker that has been connected [can be renamed by himself] is on the top, because it can connect multiple speakers to work together in multi-channel work, or work independently in different rooms, but we only have one. The lower menu is mainly the control of many input sources of ZR7 mentioned above on the app, which is similar to the Function key on the speaker. But in fact, many source switches are not used here. For example, when you open a DLNA player during playback with DLNA, it will automatically switch, and Bluetooth is the same. DLNA playback of an external storage device under USB-A requires reading its contents in the USB project here. Of course Audioin needs to switch manually.
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth wireless network speaker - "Songpal" main interface - Bluetooth playback
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - "Songpal" Main Interface - Multiple ZR7 Speakers can be Networked
HDMI (ARC): ARC is a new feature added to the HDMI 1.4 specification. It is called Audio Return Chanel and is an audio return channel. Before the ARC channel appeared in HDMI 1.4, HDMI was mainly the one-way transmission of audio and video from the player to the display device. At least, everyone was impressed with this [In fact, there are many interactive controls, and the HDMI 1.4 network channel, etc. ]. However, HDMI (ARC) allows the TV's HDMI cable to return audio content. That is, we connect the Sony ZR7 speakers to the HDMI1 interface of the TV via the HDMI cable. At this time, the TV will recognize the external audio system and use it by default. Play audio. At this time, we switch the HDMI or other input of the TV to other channels such as 23456, but the HDMI1 connected to the ZR7 will not be dropped. It is responsible for transmitting the sound played on the TV to the speakers.
In fact, this is not the best application of HDMI (ARC). We are about to evaluate a JBL Soundbar speaker. It has a built-in TV box function to transmit the data in the TV box to the TV via an HDMI cable, and then it can receive all The audio of the video content played on the TV. The HDMI 1.4 standard has been released for many years, but many speakers and audio manufacturers use HDMI (ARC) as an excuse to do video separation as an HDMI interface. Obviously most of them are really unaware that HDMI has this feature.
However, the HDMI function is also quite annoying. In actual use, HDMI is the default output device of the TV after it is connected to the TV. Switching to other inputs is not a hassle. Use the app or grab it directly. However, it is very troublesome to change the TV to other output. The quickest way is to unplug the HDMI cable.
DLNA Webcast: "Songpal" is still a music player, but there may be some limitations under iOS. We see the first item on the page is "My Music". After clicking on it, it can read the local music on the device. The first time you use the system on iOS, it will pop up whether to authorize it to read iTunes music. However, if you use the Apple Music library, it cannot be played by a third-party player even if it is authorized. If you do not use Apple Music, then all local content is available.
Where is the trouble? In addition to Apple Music's copyright, Sony's ZR7 is based on the Google Cast service, does not support Apple Airplay, so there is no way to use the ZR7's DLNA network features in the Apple player. But under Android, you can use My Music to play music on your phone. It is actually a DLNA content player with a default specified ZR7 for the decoder output. Therefore, on other operating system platforms, third-party DLNA players can also be installed to use ZR7 for playback, such as "8 Player." Surprisingly, Sony said that ZR7 is licensed by Tencent QPlay, and QPlay is based on DLNA's private audio wireless projection service. However, Qplay is not visible on iOS or under Andoird's QQ music. Is it possible to use QPlay to buy members?
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - DLNA Plays with Third Party App
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - DLNA Plays with Third Party App
Connecting a Walkman or Xperia phone or an external storage device under USB-A can be displayed as the DLNA Server content server, and can be viewed and operated using applications that support DLNA playback.
USB DAC mode: Sony ZR7 can also support USB DAC working mode, which is also a feature of the top series, this USB DAC mode is not shrinking at all, can support DoP DSD playback [measured DSD64 can play], also supports up to 384kHz Sampling rate, even Sony officials have not written in the data, but it is actually possible [USB part can, DAC can not know].
Subjective hearing
Here we go directly to the subjective aspect. In fact, in the evaluation of the A35 Walkman, we have used the ZR7 to verify the effectiveness of the LDAC, but to tell the truth, it seems that compared to the 1000X headphones, the ZR7 to verify the difference between different encoding sound quality is much smaller, why? Take a look at its speaker configuration.
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Network Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
SONY Sony SRS-ZR7 Bluetooth Wireless Network Speaker - Official Explosion Block Diagram
The ZR7 is more daring to use a small-size full-band to take care of the mid-high frequencies. Since it has done two frequency divisions, it chose the full frequency band to do high frequencies, so this is very different from the high-frequency difference we hear in the dome. Now. With this design, the performance of the intermediate frequency is more emphasised, but the details of the treble and the extension of the high-frequency part are obviously weaker. This design can be said Hi-Res, this Hi-Res may be to USB DAC / Bluetooth LDAC and DAC chip? Is this only a 45mm full-band midrange treble able to achieve the 40kHz called Hi-Res loudspeaker requirements? This authentication method is inherently a low-level error, but of course this full-band cannot be achieved? ? ? However, fortunately, the ZR7's speakers are still relatively small, and it seems to be common to use treble as a miniature speaker. Fortunately, in the performance of ZR7, it is indeed not as bad as a TV stereo.
If the ZR7 is a miniature speaker that plays background music at home, listening in a small room, the overall output power is very large. In a room less than 20 square meters, you certainly don't need to drive too much volume. If it is placed on the headboard of the bedroom or on the desk of the room, and the use distance is within 2 meters, the high frequency of the ZR7 is only slightly darker, and high-frequency detail performance is still acceptable. But if you are in a large living room, or if you actually use the Soundbar as a TV, then its high frequency is still too dark and it is only suitable for listening to human voices.
Since the ZR7 has been designed in this way, its sound style is indeed very intermediate frequency. In the case of a large box, its midrange thickness and output power, and maximum sound pressure are clearly beyond your imagination. It adjusts the style of IF is very thick and full, although the sound is very stay, but it is indeed very thick, this thickness must be stronger than the Edifier S1000, or even A200. Its style is like the style required for the center channel in multi-channel audio. Therefore, if it is a vocal dialogue-based program, then the ZR7's performance is worthy of satisfaction.
However, this design of the ZR7 makes the resolving power of the high frequency too weak. Even in television programs or games and movies, the loss of high-frequency details is very large, so the entire sound field and positioning cannot be discussed. The rendering of mid-range and low-middle-range atmosphere is in line with the capabilities of a large Soundbar. However, after all, its low level is very small, but also take care of the high frequency of low frequency, from the sense of hearing, ZR7 has done a relatively large reduction in the low frequency, but the vibration of the entire box is still very strong . And because its mid-range and mid-low frequencies are too thick, the drop from low-frequency intrusion makes the low-frequency dive sound a bit weird. This is more obvious in movies and games. The frequency may not be very low. The ZR7 is very powerful, but suddenly it can't go down and the sound is missing a big chunk.
Finally, we came to talk about ZR7's performance in music. In music playback, we think it is still more suitable for use in close quarters or small rooms [preferably within 15 square meters]. Although it can provide a lot of sound pressure, the loss of high-frequency details will appear more crowded in loud sounds. And daze. This is the same as the style of the small-size full-band unit. Their mid-range frequencies are suitable for relatively soothing performance vocals. The best sound is not too loud and the listening distance is relatively short. At this time, the sound is more balanced and the IF is very Warm. The overall dynamics and control are certainly no problem. However, when dealing with a large room, the medium-low frequency first gets out of control when the volume is loud, and due to the problem of the high-frequency extension of the unit itself, coupled with its small size and other issues, the sound is still too boring.
The ZR7 offers a wide range of input features, as well as audio optimization solutions for EQ and ClearAudio+. However, since HDMI is supported, there is no EQ or audio solution that is suitable for games and movies. This is a pity. The default group of EQs is relatively normal. In other input aspects, DLNA's various playback formats actually have stronger sound quality than Bluetooth LDAC. The USB DAC mode sounds slightly better than the network mode.
to sum up
Sony SRS-ZR7 as a 1500 yuan speaker products, almost into all the usual audio input functions that can be thought of, and use HDMI to take into account the audio output of the TV. Bluetooth section If you use a Sony player, you can use LDAC's high-quality Bluetooth decoding [after Android8.0, all will support LDAC]. With so many inputs being all on one speaker, Sony probably felt very sincere. Let other HiFi audio products come true. Can they be done? The estimate is not. If it is a small-sized home audio system, the ZR7's high-frequency performance is very short-lived, so the voice will be rather dull, not open enough, and it lacks details. However, its IF performance in such a volume is still quite good, but the style will also be too crowded, obviously missing details. It seems that this style problem has also appeared on the innovative Z5, and the result is even worse. However, from the speaker configuration and the final sound quality, we may still spend more money to choose a more advanced X88, ZR7 this style of high-pitched treble, I am afraid that few people nowadays users can accept.
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