Petition To Sony: Please Improve Sound/speaker Quality On Vaio Z

I had glanced over it in store twice. The colour didn't capture my attention as much as the blue version - it too has a metallic tone to it. What is your opinion of it? I got sick of having all these black carbon version vaio z's , so I thought a blue one would be a nice change. Although the way you described the brown version warrants another look if they still have it in store. Yes I do understand the shade of brown you are describing. Something like an "earth" brown with a metallic touch to give it a "copper" sheen look. It has been so long since I did see it, my impressions of it are a bit hazy. I quite like the gold shell - that's for sure.

 

No. I find them utterly irrelevant although I do thank you for getting the crux of the biscuit. Wanting something and it being practical are completely different issues. The laws of physics have no place for popular opinion. If someone here engineers a Z2 to have better sound (and there are some super-skilled people here) then I would be interested in hearing what they have to say. But just someone complaining that something should be possible because of all their "good" reasons? No. My only question is if they want some cheese with that whine.

Correct. This board has moderators. You're not one of them.

 

Do you have any examples of a laptop that has become "worse" as a result of sound improvement?

 

There are no laptops that are designed/engineered like the Z2. Even basic parts such as the RAM modules and the SSDs have to be custom-designed and built to fit. Thus, the experience of HP with Beats Audio is not relevant to the Z2.

 

Are all vaio z speakers custom-designed?

 

I don't know. If so, they paid too much.

 

lol. yeah, if the price of the vaio z is indicative of the price they paid for the speakers...then they got totally ripped off.

for the time being it seems it is not absolutely impossible to improve sound without the z becoming "worse". Therefore, is it not better to be optimistic and hope for change for the better in the form of a petition, rather than be pessimistic about it and surrender and tolerate with substandard sound?

 

Actually, I get pretty good sound from the Z2, but via earbuds, IEMs or external speakers.

If Sony were try to improve the speakers (this is not a recommendation that they do nor any support for the idea), it would make more sense to add them to a slightly beefed-up PMD. At least there might be a bit of extra room there as well as access to the external power supply. Besides, it's when the Z2 is used as a desktop/workstation that there might be an added benefit for some to having external speakers.

 

I thought I would try out the "assist" button on the z2 and contact sony via the Vaio Care Live Chat. Apparently the service is available 24/7 - which is pretty good. I needed an email address so that I can send sony a link to this thread but it looks like they handle all their complaints via phone. My persistence managed to squeeze an email address out of her in the end as you will see in the chat dialogue below.

10:05 PM Connecting...
10:05 PM Connected. A support representative will be with you shortly.
10:05 PM Support session established with Grace - (C3HT).
10:05 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Hi. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I'm Grace. Please allow me a brief moment to review your concern.
10:05 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Thanks for waiting. I’ll be glad to assist you with the information about the Z series computer.
10:05 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Please let me know the concern in detail to assist you better.
10:07 PM Customer:
It's not so much a concern as it is a complaint about the sound quality of the speakers.
10:07 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Okay, I'll assist you with this.
10:07 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Shall we try some troubleshooting steps to check if the issue is resolved?
10:08 PM Customer:
I have already tried that. Is there a complaints line that I can address this issue?
10:08 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Sure, I'll assist you with the contact information.
10:09 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Please contact one of our customer service representatives at 1-239-768-7545 to discuss your concerns.
10:09 PM Grace - (C3HT):
They are available 24/7.
10:09 PM Grace - (C3HT):
I'm sure that they will be more than glad to assist you with this.
10:09 PM Customer:
Do you have an email address that I can write too?
10:09 PM Grace - (C3HT):
I'm sorry that they are available only through telephone.
10:10 PM Customer:
Any chance I can have the contacts of someone in marketing or in the sound department?
10:11 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Yes, you can contact our customer service representatives for the additional information.
10:12 PM Grace - (C3HT):
If you wish to contact our sales department, please contact Sony online store support team toll free # at 1-877-865-7669 to get the detailed information in this regard.
10:12 PM Customer:
Do you have the email address of the general customer service desk?
10:12 PM Grace - (C3HT):
They are available during Mon-Fri 8:00AM - 12:00AM (Midnight) ET and Sat-Sun 10:00AM - 9:00PM ET.
10:12 PM Grace - (C3HT):
They will be happy to assist you with this.
10:13 PM Grace - (C3HT):
The customer service assistance team is not available through E-mail, however the Sony online store support team are available through E-mail.
10:13 PM Customer:
???
10:14 PM Grace - (C3HT):
The customer service assistance team and the Sony online store support team are two different departments.
10:14 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Sony believes that customer service issues should be addressed through live, personal communication.
10:14 PM Grace - (C3HT):
As such, these issues are addressed through telephone contact only.
10:14 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Communications regarding such concerns are handled by our dedicated Customer Relations Team.
10:15 PM Customer:
That's fine. I would still like the email address please.
10:15 PM Grace - (C3HT):
However, the Sony online store support team are the dedicated sales team.
10:15 PM Customer:
???
10:16 PM Connection lost. Attempting reconnection...
10:15 PM Grace - (C3HT):
The customer service assistance team are not available through Email.
10:16 PM Connecting...
10:16 PM Connected. A support representative will be with you shortly.
10:16 PM Support session established with Grace - (C3HT).
10:17 PM Customer:
???
10:17 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Please let me know, if you require any more clarifications in this regard.
10:17 PM Customer:
I prefer to contact through email. Please provide me with some email address.
10:18 PM Grace - (C3HT):
The Customer Information and Service Center representatives are available only through telephone.
10:18 PM Grace - (C3HT):
I've provided the contact information in this chat session.
10:19 PM Customer:
Are you saying that the entire company runs without using any emails?
10:20 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Those mail addresses are not available for customers and the customer service issues should be addressed through telephone contact only.
10:20 PM Customer:
What if I were to say that I were unable to use a phone, then what?
10:21 PM Grace - (C3HT):
I'm sorry to inform you that using the telephone are the only option to contact the Customer Information and Service Center.
10:22 PM Customer:
i don't think you want to help me. This is absurd. There is not a single email address that you can send me? Can you tell me where I can find one at least?
10:24 PM Grace - (C3HT):
I can assist you with the Email address of the Sony Store Online support team.
10:24 PM Grace - (C3HT):
However, they are the dedicates sales team.
10:25 PM Customer:
that is fine.
10:25 PM Grace - (C3HT):
If you are willing to report any complaints or suggestions, it is required to contact our Customer Information and Service Center through telephone.
10:25 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Sure, I'll assist you with the Email addess.
10:26 PM Customer:
please send.
10:26 PM Grace - (C3HT):
You can contact them at [email protected] or call us toll free at 877-865-7669.
10:26 PM Grace - (C3HT):
They are available during Mon-Fri 8:00AM - 12:00AM (Midnight) ET and Sat-Sun 10:00AM - 9:00PM ET.
10:26 PM Grace - (C3HT):
They will be happy to assist you with this.
10:27 PM Customer:
ok. thank you.
10:27 PM Connection lost. Attempting reconnection...
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT):
You're welcome.
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT):
It was a pleasure assisting you today.
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Have a great time ahead.
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT):
Good bye and thank you for contacting Sony Online Support today.
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT):
If you would like to be the first to know about our latest products and receive exclusive offers, please sign up for our newsletter:
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT) has sent a link: E-mail Subscriptions
10:27 PM Connecting...
10:27 PM Connected. A support representative will be with you shortly.
10:27 PM Support session established with Grace - (C3HT).
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT) would like you to complete a brief Customer Survey. Open Customer Survey
10:27 PM Grace - (C3HT) has ended the session.

 

Therefore, it is not absolutely impossible. The possibility remains that sony can improve sound without making the z "worse". With this in mind, do you prefer sound:

1. that is good via earbuds and speakers (to play music, blu-ray, games), or
2. good via earbuds while having speakers only capable of bleeps?

 

Just because the audio portion of the Z2 is worthless, doesn't automatically mean that if it designed otherwise -- within the Z2's unique constraint set and budget, that the result would be any different.

If I pay you hundred dollars to build me a rocket to Mars and you don't succeed, the lesson is not that I should have hired someone else for the hundred bucks. Nor is the lesson that I should have found a way to up the budget to a hundred fifty or two hundred dollars. Instead, the lesson is that you can't get there from here, not with anything like the available resources -- and while maintaining specific design parameters unique to the Z2.

What would you think about small powered speakers in a slightly beefed up PMD?

 

Your analogy is not valid because we have already established that it is not absolutely impossible, so your reply doesn't really answer my question. Additionally, improving speakers is hardly rocket science. Well in fact, it is not rocket science.

Yeah, speakers in the PMD sounds good. But if it is a substitute for the main unit speakers, I am not sure if it would be welcomingly received by those who require speaker sound on the move - where doing so would required them to carry around a beefier PMD plus cables and power brick.

 

No, we have not established that it's possible to upgrade the sound without changing the other specifications inlcuding price and weight. Nor do we have any basis for doing so.

 

That doesn't answer my question either. And you have forgotten to answer my question above again. To establish possibility all you need to do is imagine the z2, exactly the same as it is now except the sound is better. Can you reasonably do that? If not, why not?

 

I can't imagine a Z2 that's exactly the same but with better sound because that makes no sense to me. It's a ceteris paribus assumption for a system where everything is tightly inter-related.

 

well it should make sense to you, and modal logic confirms this. ceteris paribus is an assumption not a fallacy. But that has nothing to do with my proposition - once again you have introduced new irrelevant material to avoid conceding - plus you still have not answered my previous question. I am not trying to identify causal relationships but simply asking you whether you can imagine a z2 with better sound? since we have already established that it is not absolutely impossible. And...

not absolutely impossible = possible

do you agree with this statement?

 

I don't even have the darn thing in hand and here I am thinking about how to improve the sound on it already

Sound quality on this notebook is not critical, though I will probably figure out a way to keep a set of speakers connected to the PMD.

When mobile, I was going to try out an equalizer that I have used and like on the Mac from JoeSoft called "Hear". They also make a Windows version (that shares the same registration key!) that I am planning on trying on the Z. It has a very flexible EQ amongst other more useless tuning features and can modify the audio output per source (on the Mac at least).

Maybe one of you all can try it and see if you can tune the sound to something more tolerable. I played with a Z in the Sony store, but that was a pretty noisy environment. The sound did seem somewhat terrible, as is the general consensus. Perhaps dialing down the midrange to lower treble will make it less tinny at least. We will never get any kind of bass out of this I realize ...

 

I read somewhere in the WWW that the speakers are placed underneath...would that be also a major contribution to the quality sound..

 

That is a good point. When you say "underneath", are you suggesting that the poor positioning of the speakers is obstructing the sound from emitting clearly?

 

Sorry guys...

I like the audio output of my Z2.

Yesterday I watched youtube videos and listened to some prog. metal music. The sound is not as good as my Harman Kardon Hifi system, but on the go I find it really good!

 

Wow. That is the first approval of the z2 speakers on this thread. No-one is prepared to say that they actually like the speakers. The closest thing to an approval till now has been from Louche, who although doesn't like the speakers doesn't really care about them because he prefers to plug in earbuds and external speakers.

You are talking about the sound from the speakers and not the sound from plugging in earbuds and external speakers?

Most people are saying that the speakers are barely tolerable. But surprisingly you think that they are not just tolerable but "really good". You don't find the sound tinny? You don't find the sound impossible to hear in public places? Thanks for the input.

 

NO

When I want to listen to music I choose the Hifi System. When I watch a movie I use my Bluray Player. When the Z is at home, it is connected to my Benq GL2440 and the sound comes from this one.

Fo the go I find the Z2 sound not as bad as described. I think it is tolerable and compared to my Z1 the Z2 sounds not so ´metallic´!

 

Have you heard the sound from the the macbook air speakers by any chance?

 

No and I do not want to listen to it. Why I have to test a subscribed ´better device´ when I am very happy with my Z? I do not bought the Z for listening sounds... it is a light and powerful working device for me.
Like I said, when I want to listen to music and pull the trigger to the Hifi system!

 

Let us know how it goes with the equalizer. cheers.

 

Oh please let the thread die with this...

13 pages? Reeeeely?

 

I would but there's not much else going on now (not that there's anything here of signfiicance).

No.

You have endless options for doing so.

An interesting take. Now that we are agreed that there's no agreement about the Z2, Vogelbung is right. Let this thread go.

 

I visited a PC store the other day and was particularly interested in testing the sound quality of the integrated speakers in today's laptops. I have a Sony SZ3 purchased roughly 6 years ago and it remains amoung the best speakers today.

I am disappointed with development in this area because there is relatively no improvement. I will join your petition.

The best integrated speakers are offered by ASUS N series and Apple MacBook Pro. Lenovo speakers are disguisting, but I hope their Thinkpad speakers are better considering the premium price. I also tested HP beats audio but it is nothing special.

 

I agree with Pikachu (SZ was one of the loudest Sony laptops I ever had). Also first gen Z (VGN-Z) was quite loud as well. Z2 in that respect disappoints completely. To be even worse (taken from Vaio T product page http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/st...0151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644852023):

So, 800 USD laptop has this but 2,000+ USD Z2/Z3 not??

As much as I like Sony - how can one not be pissed?

Cheers,
Miki

 

Miki,

I avoid being pissed by not expecting much. This works well for many different issues.

I'm working on an "experiment" to try to max out the Z's sound quality while staying mobile. I should have some information within a month.

P.

 

OK my 2 pence worth.

The speakers on the Z13 that I have are pants. Really bad, but when I'm watching media it's 99% of the time via HDMI to my TV. When I listen to music is via headphones, so even though the speakers are poor, I don't use them enough to warrant having an issue with them.

I admit that for the cost of a Z13, you would expect audio on a par with Bang & Olufsen / Beats by Dre, but this is Sony we're talking about. Its their way or no way.

Just be happy with the Z series. Although I do miss my TZ soo much.

 

I have not tried it folks, but one thing you could give a try is to download the SRS Audio Essentials trial (or buy the full version, which provides enhanced normalisation) and play about with it.

 

Well to be honest Sony could do with improving speakers on their entire Vaio line (excluding all in one desktops and maybe the Vaio T because it is actually loud).
E-Series speakers suck (They had the most room to play with here)
S-Series Speakers suck more (Less room than the E series I assume.)
Z-Series Speakers Ultimate Suckage (Even Less room than the S series.)

Sony can make good speakers but chose not to on their vaio line as it is mainly marketed as business use where audio quality isn't as important.
I guess this is remedied by headphone which Sony USA includes with the new Z3.

 

It's only my aversion to clichés which prevents me from inserting an aphorism regarding lipstick and pigs. Actually, given the Z2's faux speakers, an earthier expression comes to mind, but not one appropriate to post.

 

Well, if the pig is your best choice in other areas, sometimes you have to break out the Maybelline.

Some of the audio middleware out there which equalises / psychoacoustically processes the audio specifically for small crappy speakers (like SRS) should at least slightly improve the situation.

 

this is a red letter day - I agree with Vogelbund, twice! (Yeah, I know, he said the same thing both times.)

I too recommend SRS Audio Essentials. I've never used it on a Z2 - which I no longer own (Vogelbund thinks I never did ) but it does a credible job of making my Z1 listenable, though just barely, but significantly better than it does unaided.

There are many phenomenally good tiny bluetooth speakers for less than $100; they will make your Z2 sound better than 75% of all laptops. This, for $59, is surprisingly good and this, at $60-$80, depending on where, and sales, actually brings sound quality to the top 90% of all laptop native sound, and they last over 8 hrs on a battery charge and can also be used with smartphones as both an audio speaker and a hands free speaker phone. I own both. They are so small they don't materially add to the bundle you carry with your Z and power supply. The SRS software makes a big difference with these speakers, much moreso than with the Z's anemic things.

 

Speakers on these things are utter garbage, but I haven't used laptop speakers more than 2-3 times in a given year.

 

^ That's pretty much my situation. I don't care about Sony's Hey, let's pretend we put speakers in here approach to the Z2 because I don't use them anyway. The various bleeps and boops on websites are just irritating. If I want to hear something, I use the earbuds. Then I usually realize that I really didn't want to hear it anyway.

 

Are there actually laptop speakers out there that people enjoy listening to?

 

Well, we are talking about 'acceptable' than 'enjoy'. And it's a matter of degree. When your >$2000 notebook has speakers slightly worse than some mobile phones (as in this case), then I think it's OK to start pointing fingers.