Sony NAS-CZ1 Network Audio Player and Shelf System Review
This Network Audio Player has outstanding sound, and easily fits on my bookshelf. The black and silver case design is a huge improvement over the cheap plastic look of many bookshelf systems sold today.
One of the best features is the ability of the unit to play music stored on your computer hard drive. From my existing music library that I created using Windows Media Player, the NAS-CZ1 plays the music one song after another, album by album. You can also create playlists if you want selected songs.
The challenge is to get the software and the NAS-CZ1 configured. I would say that this is a project for someone with some hands-on home networking skills, as I wanted a wireless setup. Since the NAS-CZ1 requires an Ethernet cable, I used a Linksys wap54 wireless access point to connect to my home wireless network.
All the internet features are provided through the Sony software called m-crew server. There is very little documentation on this software, even when I looked using Google. It is also version 1.0 and there apparently are no updates to the software that comes on the cd with the unit. M-Crew server is a very straightforward, no-frills solution to broadcasting music to the NAS-CZ1. There are a few things about it though. First, you need to use some version of Windows XP. Windows 2000,2003, 98, etc. will not work and the installer on the cd will stop you from proceeding. So you must have an XP computer that is on whenever you want to listen to music stored on your hard disk. This means that when I want to fall asleep to the music, I need to leave my computer running.
You need to remember that the account you installed the m-crew server software needs to be logged in. This is because the software runs background processes that won't be started until the account user logs in. Not a problem if you have a single user account login on the computer and the computer is re-booted for some reason, but I will have to look at setting up the computer to automatically startup the software background services when the computer re-boots. I found this out when Microsoft rebooted my pc for one of their automatic software updates. The connection from my NAS-CZ1 just stopped working until I re-logged into the account again.
One other problem with the m-crew server software or possibly the NAS-CZ1 is that you cannot have songs with titles using Asian characters. So any Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. songs will not play on the NAS-CZ1. In fact, the m-crew server software will let you store a say, Chinese titled song just fine. The problem arises when the NAS-CZ1 tries to play it. It will error out and you need to skip the song and restart the player manually. To delete the song, you need to (and they don't tell you this in the documentation) edit the m-crew server content database table using MS Access to delete the row containing the song, or edit out the Asian characters and you can then play the song. It seems that the NAS-CZ1 only has the ability to display english characters and that is why it errors on non-english titles. You would think that an international company like Sony would release product that accommodates languages other than english character based items.
If all else fails with the m-crew server software, uninstall and install it again.
Internet radio is another interesting feature that, if you can get running, sounds really nice. First, choose internet radio stations with a bit rate of no less than 32k, for decent sound. Second, forget about any radio stations that use their own radio player (do not use Windows media player), or require Real Player. If the radio station url does not end with an "aspx", then you can be pretty sure it won't work on the NAS-CZ1. Sony provides about 10 sample stations for the NAS-CZ1, but does not tell you how to find more radio stations. So the problems is finding internet radio sations and testing them to see if they work on the NAS-CZ1. Time consuming at best, and I have not tried searching for more stations outside of my initial setup effort of the NAS-CZ1.
At this time, I am impressed with the technology that Sony put into this unit, but I can also see a lot of buyers looking for a quick and easy way of listening to music on their computer hard dirve returning this unit due to the complicated setup and troubleshooting needed. I bought my NAS-CZ1 at Fry's for 9 and it was their last boxed unit, that was a return.
Personally, I like the unit and now that I have figured out the limitations and quirks, I'm considering a second unit for my home office. It is a real delight to be able to have my entire music collection available without having to manually change cds.
Sony NAS-CZ1 Network Audio Player and Shelf System Feature
- Networked audio system that streams music from PCs to any room in the house
- Lets you create up to 5 custom user profiles and up to 4 types of playlists
- Includes CD player for single-disc CD and MP3 (on CD-R/RW) playback
- High-fidelity audio driven by 360-degree omnidirectional speakers
- Measures 18.11 by 6.89 by 7.48 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty
Sony NAS-CZ1 Network Audio Player and Shelf System Overview
Sony NAS-CZ1 is an innovative and stylish Network Audio System. The NAS-CZ1 is an easy way to listen to music stored on a home PC. To allow users to play their favorite music across their home, the NAS-CZ1 has multi-room capability where users can connect multiple numbers of NAS-CZ1s to one PC. The system can also be connected to any network using standard CAT5 network cable or via a wireless connection using one of the many 3rd party wireless LAN adapters widely available. In addition the built in omni-directional speaker system creates a wide acoustic field ideal for casual listening and allowing for almost any placement within the living environment. The NAS-CZ1 has dynamic play list generation allowing users to listen to their most frequently, recently, new and never played tracks. A favorite play list feature is also incorporated as part of the system. Complete with remote control it has never been easier to play music from your PC wherever and whenever you want.
Sony NAS-CZ1 Network Audio Player and Shelf System Specifications
Having a big digital music library on your computer is great, but what if you could listen to that music anywhere in your home? That's where Sony's NAS-CZ1 comes in. By combining all the great functionality of a networked music player with an AM/FM receiver, a CD player, and great audio performance, this device brings it all together so you can enjoy your music on your terms.
 The NAS-CZ1 brings your digital music library to any room of your home. And it does it in style. |
 The LCD display shows track and server information. |
 Two rear firing tweeters fill your room with sound. An analog audio input is also provided on the back, along with AM/FM antenna connectors and the all-important ethernet jack. Take a closer look. |
 A CD player on top of the unit makes the NAS-CZ1 a complete audio system. View larger. |
The NAS-CZ1 connects to your local network via the device's ethernet port. The system can be connected to any network using standard CAT5 network cable or via a wireless connection using a wireless LAN adapter.
Once you're connected, you can browse through your entire music collection on each server using the NAS-CZ1's remote control and LCD display. You can also make up to four types of playlists or search your music library by album title. Meanwhile, user profiles allow different users select their preferred server, and organize custom playlists, albums, genres, and favorite tracks. Up to five user profiles can be programmed on the NAS-CZ1.
But there's also another way to enjoy your music with this device. If you're like most people, you have a favorite application on your computer for listening and organizing your music. Sony hasn't forgotten this, and they've designed the NAS-CZ1 so that it works automatically with major music jukebox applications, including iTunes, Sonicstage, Windows Media Player, and Musicmatch. This feature allows you to pipe music directly from your favorite jukebox app directly to the NAS-CZ1 -- giving you complete control over your home music listening right from your PC.
The NAS-CZ1 supports a wide range of music codecs, including MP3, WAV, ATRAC3 Plus, WMA, and AAC. Keep in mind, though, that the unit does not support playback of copy-protected music files. On top of music file playback, you can also stream your favorite Web radio stations to the device.
If you want to set up a multi-room listening experience, the NAS-CZ1 supports that, too. You can connect multiple NAS-CZ1's to a single server, allowing you to browse your music from wherever you please. Measuring roughly 18 x 7 x 7.5 inches (W x H x D), the stylishly-designed unit fits nicely on a shelf or table top, making it very versatile when it comes to enjoying your music in various locations in your house.
No network music device is worth much if it doesn't sound good. Fortunately, Sony has that angle covered, too. The NAS-CZ1's 360-degree omni-directional speaker design has the right balance of kick and clarity for filling any room with rich, resonate sound. The system is rated at 40 Watts in operation and includes four tweeters -- two of which are aimed towards the rear -- and two subwoofers.
Sony built the NAS-CZ1 to be a fully-featured mini-component system on top of it's network capabilities. You'll find a CD tray on top of the system that, in addition to CD audio playback, can play MP3 CDs and CD-R/RWs. There's also an integrated AM/FM tuner when you want to listen to music the old fashioned way. On top of all that, the system sports an analog input jack so you can connect an external device, such as a portable MP3 player or even another component.
What's in the Box
NAS-CZ1 system, remote control with battery, AM loop antenna, FM lead antenna, network cable, M-crew Server software CD-ROM, user's manual.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 28, 2009 01:17:09
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