⌈ SFORZATO is a Japanese company founded in 2009 and run by its founder, Mr. KYOSHI OMATA. It is based in Hino City, a city that is part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. It specializes in only one type of product: file players, both integrated and separate. We are testing the top-of-the-line system consisting of the DSP-09EX file player and the PMC-05EX master clock. This is its debut outside Japan. ⌋

LINEUP CONSISTING OF THREE AUDIO FILE PLAYERS (only two until recently) and two master clocks – this is how tiny boutique companies operate. However, Sforzato, the Japanese manufacturer in question, is something else, something more. After all, in terms of scale, it is a small company with limited production capabilities. But it also has nothing to do with DIY, offering solutions found in products developed by large manufacturers such as Lumin or Aurender, and even proprietary ones.

After all, even large companies are not proponents of a new method of digital signal transmission that could replace the universally hated USB, and Sforzato, together with another Japanese specialist manufacturer, Soulnote, developed ZERO Link, a system based on the I2S protocol, but allowing synchronous clocking of the D/A converter, bypassing the PLL loop. The company also has its own ecosystem related to file transport – its own software and ideas on how to apply it in their circuits. And then there are the master clocks – something that only sophisticated specialists can handle.

All this, plus a few other things, can be found in the tested DSP-05EX audio file player. It is a two-box device with separate file transport and D/A converter. Although mechanically separate, they form a functional whole, as the only digital connection is the aforementioned ZERO Link. Each of these components can also play with Soulnote's transport and DAC, but not with any other. However, we can add a master clock to the set. It costs the same as the player, but according to the manufacturer, it is its key component. We are testing the entire system.

▌ DSP-05EX

I AM LOOKING AT THE SFORZATO system placed on the top shelf of the Finite Elemente Pagode Edition Mk II rack. Together with the Reliable UberLight Frame lamp, they form a perfect system in terms of form. The devices are relatively small and look great. They are also very well made and feature solutions found in only a few products, regardless of price.

Like other Sforzato products, the tested model “05” is an audio file player. Unlike the two cheaper integrated devices, the DSP-05EX is a two-box solution with separate file transport and a digital-to-analog converter. It is Roon-certified and plays PCM files: AIFF, WAV, FLAC, ALAC up to 768 kHz and 32 bits, as well as dsf and diff up to DSD512 (22.5 MHz), both from NAS drives and via streaming services of the user's choice: Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music HD, etc. Instead of a classic LAN port, there is an optical SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable) port with an SFP→RJ45 converter module.

Sforzato is one of the manufacturers who decided to move the user interface to a tablet or smartphone screen. Although there is a small pale green display on the front panel, it is only an auxiliary screen. Linn, now working hand in hand with Aurender, HiFi Rose and other manufacturers using large, full-color displays, took a similar approach in the past, and Lumin, another company that followed the Scots' example in the beginning, alongside Sforzato itself, is still following this trend.

The tested player displays the file type – PCM or DSD – in large letters, with the sampling frequency and selected input shown in smaller font. As with other devices, I found the lack of information about the bit depth disappointing. There is also no mention of titles, duration, etc. Next to the display are two buttons for phase change and input selection. Yes, inputs, because the tested player also features a USB input, thanks to which it can work as a D/A converter for a computer or other file transport. Let's add that in the version we are testing, the USB input has been replaced with an output so that I can use it as a file transport with external converters.

The manufacturer points out that its device supports the Diretta Audio Protocol. This is an advanced system developed by Tokyo-based specialist MegaTech Electronics LLC. It is designed to significantly simplify the file transfer system, resulting in a significant reduction in interference. The website states:

No complicated processing like UPnP file range requests is required. No complicated processing to synchronize many devices like AES67 is required, either. We are committed to evolving Diretta with the highest priority on sound quality and minimizing influence over analog blocks.

→ www.DIRETTA.link, accessed: 10.07.2025.

Thanks to this protocol, the computer can be connected directly to the LAN input with an Ethernet cable. Sforzato will then function as a complete player (files are transferred via Ethernet, not audio signals), but controlled from the computer. This is a much better solution than USB transfer. Japanese manufacturers who use the Diretta Audio Protocol include: Sforzato, Soulnote, SPEC, and → PACHANKO LABS https://www.pachankolabs.com (an very interesting French manufacturer that is completely unknown in our country).

The tested device is a balanced design, offering RCA and XLR analog outputs. At the heart of the DAC are two ESS ES9038Pro chips, one per channel. These are eight-channel DACs that can operate in mono mode, significantly reducing distortion and noise. The passive components are also of high quality, including Wima, Rubycon, Nippon Chem and Nichicon capacitors, Dale resistors with 0.1% precision, and the power supplies are downright over-sized – there are three large power transformers in the transport and two more in the DAC. All of them were manufactured by the American company Triad Magnetics.

The heart of all this company's players is file transport. Its software was developed in-house and is its most important asset. Its players are truly reliable, fast, and during testing, I never experienced any freezing or slowdowns. When we look at the main board, we find two logos – Sforzato and Soulnote. This is because, as we mentioned, these companies jointly developed the ZERO Link connection and because Sforzato manufactures both the transport and the clock for its partner, which are part of its file playback system called ZEUS – Zero Link Ultimate System.

PLAYER CONTROL is handled by free apps, which saves the company a lot of money. Sforzato recommends the Taktina app from Interface Co. It's a simple app, but it works great. It plays music not only from streaming services, but also from NAS. However, in my opinion, Sforzato's designer prefers Roon. The DSP-05EX is Roon Ready certified, which greatly facilitates device control. This is because this company's players do not work with Connect systems – neither Spotify, Tidal nor Qobuz.

However, the Polish distributor has a different idea for controlling Sforzato devices. They are offered in Poland with the Jplay app, which I think is a much better solution. First of all, it is our native product, and secondly, it is excellent. I hope that in the future, Sforzato will also be certified by Jplay. I used this program during the test.

▌ PMC-05EX

SFORZATO IS A SPECIALIZED MANUFACTURER. This means that it has developed its own solutions, which differ to a greater or lesser extent from those of other companies. This is also the case with clocking. In Sforzato products, clock circuits are external devices. All other manufacturers place the clocks inside and sometimes allow the connection of an external circuit of this type. The DSP-07EX and DSP-05EX players come with small metal boxes that plug directly into the BNC socket and are powered from the socket on the rear panel of the players.

However, the Japanese offer two OCXO (Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator) type time-stable clocks dedicated to specific models. The PMC-07EX clock is designed for the DSP-07EX player, and the PMC-05EX for the DSP-05EX model. Only the cheapest DSP-09 player features a master clock inside the chassis.

As manufacturer explains:

The Sforzato external master clock outperforms the internal clock of these devices, resulting in a significant improvement in sound quality. One of the most remarkable features of this product is its ability to maintain extremely low phase noise. It uses a low-noise OCXO phase oscillator, which achieves very low noise levels of -105 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz.

⸜ PMC-05EX, → www.SFZ.jp, accessed: 10.07.2025.

As we read further, “this is crucial in the world of audio,” because the master clock class depends not only on its precision, but also on its noise characteristics, especially near the oscillation frequency, where the oscillator's performance is directly related to sound quality. And noise in such precise circuits is generated both electrically and mechanically. That is why a very, very complex power supply and a mechanical diode connection have been used here, and the device has also been decoupled from the ground in a completely different way.

The clock generator circuit is mounted on a separate board and shielded. This board is not screwed to the bottom of the chassis – only locking screws are screwed in for transport. In fact, it has a “floating” support, touching the bottom of the chassis via metal pins. This brings us directly to Soulnote products, where the tops of the enclosure are separated in this way. Two green LEDs on the bottom panel, facing downwards, indicate the operation of the device; similarly placed LEDs are located in the converter.

It is connected with a digital cable with an impedance of 50 Ω, terminated with BNC plugs. There are also two additional SMA sockets. The screw-on SMA connector, short for SubMiniature version A, is a type of coaxial RF connector known for its compact size and high quality. It is found in high-frequency systems. It was once used by Ancient Audio in their Lektor Grand two-box CD player. And, of course, there is an IEC power socket. This one is special, with copper contacts designed for use in audio systems.

The PMC-05EX looks like a full-fledged device, because it is built in the same housing as the DSP-05EX D/A converter. This means it features a very attractive front panel, a solid chassis and three feet, but unlike the DAC, one at the front and two at the rear. The housing is made of thick aluminum sheets finished with a mechanically resistant black lacquer. The front, made of thick aluminum blocks, can be black or silver.

Instead of feet, the master clock is mounted on metal pins with ampule ends. The front pin is the main one, mechanically connected to a thick metal ring, on which a large power transformer rests. Vibrations are thus dissipated directly from under the transformer, similar to the solution proposed by Soulnote in its amplifiers and players, such as the SACD S-3 V2; more → HERE.

Let’s add, that the internal wiring made of Triple-C copper was developed in cooperation with Acoustic Revive.

▌ SOUND

HOW WE LISTENED • The Sforzato DSP-05EX audio file player was placed on the Kryna Palette Board platform, which was in turn placed on the Finite Elemente Pagode Edition Mk II rack. The devices were stacked on top of each other – the transport on top, the DAC below, and the master clock at the bottom. This arrangement seemed to me to be the most sensible in terms of vibration dissipation. The clock does not have classic feet, but pins with semi-circular ends and requires a rigid connection. So, I used Acoustic Revive SPU-8 pads under the pins.

The sound of the Sforzato system was compared to the AYON AUDIO CD-35 HF EDITION SACD player, the Lumin T3 file player, and the Rega P8 turntable with a Denon DL-103R cartridge. The music was played from the Tidal streaming service and from PCM and DSD files stored on a Lumin L2 server.

The player was connected to the router via my system consisting of a Silent Angel N16 LPS dual LAN switch and the Acoustic Revive Quadrant Triple-C LAN cable. The Silent Angel switch has two modules, which are connected in series using a short Quadrant Triple-C cable. The ports of the first module are fitted with RLI-1GB Triple-C LAN filters from the same manufacturer. The switch is powered by a Tiglon TPL-2000A cable, and the router was powered by a JCAT Optimo 3 Duo power supply.

» RECORDINGS USED FOR THE TEST ⸜ a selection

» SACD/CD
⸜ JOHN SCOFIELD, Swallow Tales, ECM Records ECM 2679, CD ⸜ 2020, reviewed → HERE ˻PL˺.
⸜ JOHN COLTRANE, Blue Train. The Complete Masters, Blue Note/Universal Music Company (Japan) UCGQ-9030, SHM-SACD ⸜ 1957/2022, more → HERE.
⸜ KENNY BURRELL, On View At The Five Spot Cafe: The Complete Masters, Blue Note/Universal Music LLC UCGQ-9098, SHM-SACD ⸜ (1960) 2025, reviewed → HERE ˻PL˺.
⸜ RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Californication, Warner Bros. Records 9362-47386-2, CD ⸜ 1999, more → HERE ˻PL˺.

» FILES
⸜ JOHN SCOFIELD, Swallow Tales, ECM Records/Tidal, FLAC 24/96 ⸜ 2020.
⸜ JOHN COLTRANE, Blue Train. The Complete Masters, Blue Note/Capitol Records/Tidal, FLAC 24/96 ⸜ 1957/2022.
⸜ JOHN COLTRANE , Blue Train, Blue Note, FLAC 24/192 ⸜ 1958/2012.
⸜ KENNY BURRELL, On View At The Five Spot Cafe: The Complete Masters, Blue Note/UMG Recordings/Tidal, FLAC 24/96 ⸜ (1960) 2025.
⸜ RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Californication, Warner Records/Tidal, FLAC 16/44,1 ⸜ 1999/2006.
⸜ LED ZEPPELIN, Led Zeppelin (I), Atlantic/Warner Music 8122796439, „Super Deluxe Box Set”, FLAC 24/96 ⸜ 1961/2014.
⸜ ALEXIS COLE, A Kiss in The Dark, Chesky Records, Master Files WAV 24/192 ⸜ 2014.
⸜ PRIYA DARSHINI, Periphery, Chesky Records JD450, Master Files WAV 24/192 ⸜ 2020, reviewed → HERE.
⸜ Opus 3 DSD Showcase No 1, Opus 3 CD 21000, DSD-DSF 5,6 MHz ⸜ 2012.
⸜ Audiophile Analog Collection Vol. 1, 2xHD Fusion, DSD-DSF 11,2896 MHz ⸜ 2018, reviewed → HERE ˻PL˺.

» You can find the TIDAL playlist with tracks used in the test → HERE

»«

IT WAS PROBABLY THE SECOND TIME IN MY LIFE that the sound from the files played on my reference system did not differ from that produced by the Ayon Audio CD-35 HF Edition SACD player. Not that it was better, but it was definitely not worse. Interestingly, although there were clear differences, I had the impression that these devices had been made by the same person. This shows how similar the end results can be in high-end audio, despite differences in technology, media, and even people designing them.

At first, the Japanese player sounded rich and dense. It made me sit still, focused, but also happy, knowing that something special was happening. Switching between John Coltrane's SHM-SACD Blue Train and a hi-res file on Tidal, with the same master, I heard the Sforzato's excellent sound depth. It's something that is present in all of its players, regardless of price. The same was true of the timbre and its differentiation, which catch the ear with their soft finish.

The powerful entrance of Coltrane's saxophone, Lee Morgan's trumpet, and Curtis Fuller's trombone in the title track, ˻ 1 ˺ Blue Train was presented in an extremely coherent yet discreet manner. This means that not only their timbre was differentiated, but also their position, even though they were placed by Rudy Van Gelder in the left channel almost on the same axis (in the stereo version). The percussion, heard in the right channel, had a lot of air around it – more than on the SHM-SACD (!). I have the impression that the tested player almost celebrates spatial relationships, that it shows the echoes a little more strongly and defines the type of reverberation more clearly than the Ayon player.

The Sforzato also has a more softened upper end than the Ayon with SACDs and CDs. The Austrian player, working as a DAC with the Taiko Audio Server XDMI file transport and the Olympus I/O XDMI module, was even more open and raw. As I wrote, it resembled the sound of an analog master tape. That is, there was no attempt to smooth anything out, or looking for listener’s approval. It wasn't necessary – it was a full-blooded, high-end sound of the highest order with incredible resolution and selectivity.

However, this does not mean that this is the only possible approach to high-end audio. The Japanese player takes a slightly different direction, although still in the same idiom as Ayon. That is, it plays cymbals, as in the song ˻ 1 ˺ Birk’s Works, from the album by KENNY BURREL with ART BLAKEY, more legato than staccato. The amount of information is similar, it is dense playing with a distinct ”weight" to the sound. The Japanese system shows this deeper in the scene and denser, while the Ayon from the SHM-SACD album shows it a little more clearly and closer to us. It is not just a matter of one tonal balance or another, which can be the case in the lower price ranges.

With devices of this caliber, that's nonsense we don't bother with. Instead, we pay attention to the expression of these changes. And with Sforzato, it's moving in the direction of what I know from the best turntables, such as the TechDAS Air Force One. It's something different from the “master” tape – it's its interpretation, a transcription from one medium to another. The Taiko Audio system played as if the world were about to end, with fire and energy bursting out of the Harbeth speakers. The “Japanese” played the next albums as if we were going to spend the rest of our lives with it – a long life, we might add, meaning smooth, not raw.

It reminded me of what I heard from the second excellent file source I had in my system, the XACT S1 Evo transport. It was even more refined, even smoother. The tested device moves between these two types of sound, while still maintaining a similar aesthetic. An aesthetic of saturation, density, richness of information, even excess. But an excess that complements rather than excludes. This may seem illogical, because excess is associated with something uncomfortable, with a good that we don't know what to do with. And yet...

Listening to ˻ 6 ˺ Californication, a ballad from the RED HOT CHILLI PERREPRS album of the same title, I had the impression that it worked in favor of the Japanese file player. The CD with the same master played by Ayon was rougher, with a more aggressive attack. Rick Rubin's production consisted of having the whole band play together in the same place and then adding additional guitar parts later. This means noise, clatter, and a lack of separation between instruments. And a lot of compression to control it all.

The Japanese player played this track, but also the entire album, which I listened to later, more beautifully. I can't think of any other word that would better describe the difference. But maybe it's not even necessary, because this is exactly what Sforzato offers – the better side of life. However, this does not mean that any information is excluded just to make us “like” it. This player delivers an incredible amount of information, making even the Lumin T3, which I like so much, pale in comparison. Although, as a side note, the tone shaping is very similar.

However, when we play an album where the production is focused on reproducing the natural sound of instruments, such as John Scofield's Swallow Tales, we can literally “see” a panoramic stage and hear a multi-layered, multi-colored sound. Whether it's the lead guitars, Steve Swallow's bass guitars, or Bill Stewart's panoramic percussion, it won't matter what instrument we're talking about, it will be an incredibly satisfying experience.

And although the Taiko transport with Ayon's DAC and Ayon itself with SACD discs sound clearer, the sound is not significantly more dynamic. Yes, there is more energy in the attack, which makes it sound explosive. The tested player offers equally high dynamics, but with a more subdued attack. This can be heard in the overall momentum and in the details, such as in the short solo drum beat at 4:49 of the ˻ 1 ˺ She Was Young, the opening track of the aforementioned album. It was sudden and surprising.

This device is capable of delivering a multitude of sounds in perfect order in an instant. And even if they are “prettier” than the reference disc, it is the “prettiness” we are waiting for. It is not that something is being taken away from us, that something is escaping us. After a while, we get the impression that something is being added. And when we play something like ˻ 2 ˺ One For My Baby, or ˻ 5 ˺ The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning, tracks from FRANK SINATRA's album The Sound of Blue Eyes (Restored Edition ’25) available on Tidal, we can literally feel euphoria.

The album in question is a bit of a curiosity, a surprise, but also something cool. Recordings from the “Restored Edition '25” series have been uploaded to Tidal for some time now, and they are albums by artists whose albums are no longer covered by copyright. They are “released” digitally by an entity called Mouton Recordings, which I have never heard of before. Duke Velvet is listed as the “mastering engineer,” which is almost certainly a pseudonym for a person, group of people, or AI program. Because that's probably what this is all about—using AI-assisted mastering software.

In my opinion, the stereo versions on this album are “overdone” – separating the vocals and adding too much reverb did not do them any favors. In contrast, Sinatra's voice has been perfectly cleaned up and enhanced in the mono recordings, as have the instruments playing in the background. Only the double bass has been rendered too strongly and contoured. The rest is perfect. It is precisely with these recordings that Sforzato's mastery comes to the fore. The voice was perfectly three-dimensional, with a clear structure and a large sound. It was also clear, which was not the case before. At least not to the same extent as here.

I already knew, I knew very well that the Japanese player does not bring the sound closer to the listener, but rather slightly reduces the pressure on the foreground, pushing it back half a step. And yet the intensity of Sinatra's vocals was a surprise, a complete surprise. And it's not that the device warms up the sound. It's not as energetic and open at the top of the range as the Ayon or – even more so – the Taiko and Ayon. But it shows much more than the Lumin, and is more saturated than another excellent file player, the Aavik SD-880. The latter produces an incredibly clean sound, in a way I have never heard before with files. The Sforzato is tonally different, lower and denser. But not quite as clean.

This device ’flows’ with the performance. A Horse With No Name by AMERICA and the excellent cover of Ain't No Sunshine by HOT 8 BRASS BAND sounded fiery, powerful and excellent. And at the same time, the sound was perfectly clear and distinct. Despite the low tonal balance, the device fantastically defines both individual sounds and larger parts. It does not turn them into blurs, but conveys the energy and passion of the music.

So when I was comparing two mastering versions of ADAM CZERWIŃSKI's latest album, Songs for my Mother, the tracks Body & Soul and Embarcadero, performed by Piotr Łukaszewski, I didn't have to listen closely to what they were about. The thing is, Custom34, the studio where the album was mixed and mastered, recently acquired several new products, including the iZotope Ozone 11 Advanced mastering software. It is a complex set of algorithms supported by machine learning. I am familiar with how it works from many albums, and I must say that it can be perfect.

But when I heard the fully analog version, performed in the classic way, I couldn't help but sigh – this was IT! The depth, sonority, and above all, something I would call ‘carrying power’ were unrepeatable. Then, after a moment, when I returned to the Ozone version, I heard a velvety background, smoothness, and outstanding harmonics that made me reconsider. And Sforzato isn't a discriminatory device, is it? And yet, when it gets something better, it rewards you with even better sound.

▌ Summary

NOW I WILL SAY SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME: The Sforzato DSP-05EX & PMC-05EX will remain in my reference system, where they will replace the Lumin player. I became emotionally attached to this Hong Kong-based manufacturer many years ago, when I heard the original LUMIN player in 2013, LUMIN →. I have been using their devices since 2014, first the T1, then the T2 and finally the T3. And they are still excellent devices. The company's NAS L2 remains in my system.

However, there is something about Sforzato that won me over immediately. It is the perfect fullness combined with clarity – resolution in its full form. And incredible dynamics. And the beauty of the sound. And its significance. And beauty. I realize I'm repeating myself, so I won't go on. The best SACD reissues still show something more than hi-res files, whether streamed from a streaming service or from a local library. But it's not a difference in quality, it's just a difference. And only DSD265 files are almost indistinguishable.

I know that there are better SACD players than my Ayon, and I would probably still get better sound with them than with files. Here and now, the Ayon and Sforzato give me exactly the same degree of confidence in the recordings, their sound, and the value of the accompanying equipment that I demand of them as a reviewer, music lover, and audiophile. It's as if all three elements have been measured, balanced, and matched. An excellent, simply excellent device! Well deserved ˻ GOLD FINGERPRINT ˺. ●

▌ Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer)

» DSP-05EX
Outputs: RCA, XLR (2-hot, 3-cold) 2 Vrms
Inputs: LAN RJ45, USB typ B
Master clock input: 10 MHz
Supported files:
• AIFF, WAV, FLAC, ALAC → PCM: 44,1 kHz – 768 kHz 16/24/32 bits,
• dsf, diff → DSD64/128/256/512 (2,8 ⸜ 5,6 ⸜ 11,2 ⸜ 22,5 MHz), 1 bit,
Dimensions (W x D x H):
• transport - 390 × 327 × 85 mm
• DAC - 390 × 327 × 103 mm
» PCM-05EX
Output: square wave 10 MHz
Output impedance: 50 Ω
Output socket: 1 x BNC
Output signal: 7 dBm
Dimensions (W x D x H): 390 × 327 × 103 mm

»«

THIS TEST HAS BEEN DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES adopted by the Association of International Audiophile Publications, an international audio press association concerned with ethical and professional standards in our industry, of which HIGH FIDELITY is a founding member. More about the association and its constituent titles → HERE.

→ www.AIAP-online.org