Sony SA-Z1 Signature Series Hi-Res Near Field Powered Speaker System (Black)

The Sony SA-Z1 Signature Series Hi-Res Near Field Powered Speaker System is meticulously crafted to sit on your desk and provide you with a reference listening experience, whatever your choice of music. Play music from your laptop or PC, hook up your Walkman or Xperia, or use with a dedicated digital music player for elevating your listening and experience true audio enlightenment.

Precision-Engineered Powered Speakers

The SA-Z1 brings together Sony's legendary audio expertise, with first-of-its-kind custom componentry and benchmark audio technologies. Thanks to a trio of accumulated acoustic, electronic and signal processing technology, SA-Z1 recreates music with exceptional presence and coherence.

Coherent Impulse Response

Well-designed multi-way speakers have a flat and broad frequency response, but disengaging the impulse response (time-coherence) risks a compromised soundstage. Conversely, single driver units offer excellent impulse response but sacrifice frequency response.

Time Coherence

The SA-Z1's multi-amplifier system and unique Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) perfectly synchronizes the wave front between driver units. The precisely aligned wave front and broad frequency response are capable of delivering both the power of an expansive orchestral sound stage or the focus of an intimate solo.

Coaxial Driver Layout

For reference-quality near field listening, the SA-Z1 features a coaxial speaker layout. Combined with the FPGA for time coherence, this design offers ideal acoustic centering across the frequency range. The result is phase coherence — essential for clear stereo imaging. The SA-Z1's custom digital processing and coaxial layout delivers both — the sonic realism of a precise impulse response, along with a wide soundstage and frequency presentation.

Horizontally Opposed Woofers - Tsuzumi Layout

Inspired by a traditional Japanese 'Tsuzumi' drum, dual woofers are placed back-to-back. This layout hugely cuts unwanted vibration that is, the vibration from each woofer cancels out the vibration from the other. By reducing the enclosure resonance so significantly, SA-Z1 delivers supreme resolution and a precise sound image. The unique 'Tsuzumi' design also supports wide sound dispersion. Unlike conventional speakers, the rear bass expansion duct lets bass radiate to the sides as well as forward—just like sound sources in nature—so you experience a natural, realistic sound field that describes an even depth and height of sound space.

Innovative Air Control Behind the Woofer

For the SA-Z1’s woofers are developed from the ground up. Large aperture slits behind the diaphragm prevent turbulence that causes wind noise and disturbs the linear motion of the diaphragm. The breathable magnet layout is a new idea to suppress the turbulence around the voice coil. These structures deliver low distortion and faithful linearity for clear sound and tight response.

More Linearity and Purity

The woofer offers supreme linearity with very low distortion. The zinc die-cast basket holds the motor system firmly so that it can suppress vibrations from piston motion. Powerful neodymium magnets preserve the linearity and the copper sleeve reduces distortion.

I-ARRAY Tweeters for Wider Frequency and Off-Axis Response

Sony's acclaimed I-ARRAY high resolution tweeters combine a main tweeter with two smaller assist tweeters, for both impressive frequency extension and wider directivity. The large balanced dome main tweeter ensures excellent high-frequency realism, while the smaller assist tweeters expand the off-axis response, delivering high-frequency harmonic overtones up to 100 kHz for acoustic realism only possible with High-Resolution Audio.

Distortion Reduction

To achieve ultimate sound reproduction, S-Master HX digitally amplifies the music signal without any resulting transmission loss. However, at the final stage of amplification, the physical limits of the semiconductor unavoidably cause distortion. So, to deliver both high power and accuracy, the D.A. Hybrid Amplifier Circuit combines a new ultra-speed power device, GaN, with an analog amplifier for error correction.

Durable Aluminum Body

Featuring body parts using two different alloys of aluminum, the SA-Z1 speaker system effectively minimizes noise distortion caused by resonance from the enclosure. It also features a new wall structure made from a solid aluminum block to isolate the circuit board from vibrations from the speaker. This suppresses structural resonance for a clean, uncolored sound with high-end audio authenticity. Additionally, a precision-engineered bridge structure decouples the speaker enclosure from the amplifier and digital processing circuitry. The solid aluminum isolation links preserve sound purity for a remarkably focused and coherent presentation.